I am sure that you are aware that cigarette smoking has been conclusively linked with the formation of several human cancers, such as lung, mouth, larynx, esophagus, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, cervix, stomach, and acute myeloid leukemia. Among 4000 chemicals that have been identified in tobacco smoke, at least 400 are found to be harmful to human health, such as ammonia, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide. These toxic chemicals change a cell’s DNA by damaging the parts that are responsible for normal growth and function of cells, and their protection against cancer. As a result, a cell cannot be repaired or protected and can grow out of control and create a malignant tumor (Matulewicz et al., 2021). Simply said, it is the build-up of DNA damage in the same cell caused by cigarette smoking over time, which leads to the development of cancers.
How Carcinogens in Tobacco Smoke Trigger Cancer Development
Specifically, human cancers are caused by carcinogens that constitute approximately 10% of tobacco smoke, such as chromium, arsenic, formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene oxide, vinyl chloride, toluene, nickel, and polonium. These elements, when inhaled, can weaken the body’s immune system, making it harder for DNA to repair genes, which are involved in fixing damaged DNA or destroying cancer cells. Damaged cells or cells with mutations in DNA tend to develop additional mutations in other DNA cells and changes in their chromosomes, such as deletions or duplications of chromosome parts (Matulewicz et al., 2021). These damages or mutations may act together to alter the way normal cells function, causing them to become cancerous.
New Advances and Prevention Strategies in Smoking-Related Cancer Treatment
The treatment of cigarette smoking-related cancers depends on the type and stage of cancer. Most intervention plans include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, biological therapy, and lifestyle changes. New approaches to treatment of this disease, such as cell therapy, microbiome treatments, gene editing, and personalized vaccines, are being developed and getting the world closer to a future where cancer is a curable condition. Until then, prevention is the key to significantly decrease the risk of developing cigarette smoking-related cancers. The most effective way to do so is to quit smoking cigarettes and avoid second-hand smoke (Matulewicz et al., 2021). Even after receiving a cancer diagnosis, smoking cessation can significantly improve treatment outcomes and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and death.
Reference
Matulewicz, R. S., Bjurlin, M. A., Feuer, Z., Makarov, D. V., Sherman, S. E., Scheidell, J., Khan, M. R., & El-Shahawy, O. (2021).
A population-level assessment of smoking cessation following a diagnosis of tobacco- or nontobacco-related cancer among United States adults.
Journal of Smoking Cessation: 6683014.
