Quitting smoking at any point in life can lower the chances of developing cancer, as shown by a significant study. The greatest decrease in cancer risk was observed after ten years of quitting.
The likelihood of developing cancer decreased by half in individuals who quit smoking for at least 15 years, in comparison to those who kept smoking. Furthermore, the risk of lung cancer decreased even more significantly and quickly, especially in those who quit before reaching middle age.
A team of researchers studied the medical records of approximately 3 million Koreans who had undergone health screenings starting in 2002. They tracked instances of cancer, such as lung, liver, stomach, and colorectal tumors, until 2019. Throughout the duration of the research, around 200,000 participants were diagnosed with cancer.
According to Dr Jin-Kyoung Oh, who conducted a study at the National Cancer Center near Seoul, quitting smoking has been proven to decrease the chances of developing cancer, specifically lung cancer. This effect is even more significant when smoking is stopped at an early age before reaching middle age.
Following a period of 13 years and five months, the likelihood of developing lung cancer decreased by 42% for individuals who had quit smoking. Smaller reductions of 27%, 20%, and 14% were observed for liver, colorectal, and stomach cancers respectively, compared to those who continued smoking. These findings were published in Jama Network Open.
Cancer is responsible for over 25% of annual deaths in the UK, with lung cancer being the most prevalent. At least 15 types of cancer, including those in the lungs, bladder, stomach, and various organs like the kidneys and liver, are caused by smoking. Tobacco is the primary preventable cause of cancer and mortality in the country.
As per the research, individuals who stopped smoking before turning 50 saw a 57% decrease in their chances of developing lung cancer during the follow-up period, in comparison to those who continued smoking. Those who quit at the age of 50 or later had a 40% lower risk of lung cancer during that time.
Dr. Oh from the Guardian says that quitting smoking can greatly improve your health, regardless of your age. Research shows that people who quit smoking later in life have a 40% lower chance of getting lung cancer compared to those who keep smoking. It’s never too late to quit, and we urge you to begin your journey towards being smoke-free.
According to Robert West, a professor at University College London who specializes in addiction, the growth of cancer involves multiple stages where DNA mutations accumulate until one or more cells become damaged and start replicating uncontrollably. The longer a smoker continues down this path before quitting, the higher the likelihood of developing cancer.
West stated that this research verifies two important points. The first being that it may take several years for the risk of cancer to decrease in comparison to ongoing smoking. Additionally, the decrease is more significant for individuals who quit smoking at a younger age.
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“For individuals who smoke, it is imperative to quit at a young age. Even though there are benefits at any age, the earlier one quits, the more of their life they can reclaim,” stated Professor West. “The path to quitting smoking is straightforward: aim to quit at least once a year and seek help from evidence-based specialists instead of attempting to quit cold turkey.”
According to Malcolm Clark, a senior manager at Cancer Research UK, smoking remains the top reason for cancer with approximately 150 cases occurring daily in the UK. Despite this, the majority of smokers have attempted to stop.
It is never too late to quit smoking, but individuals require assistance to successfully do so. This is why we are in favor of the UK government’s decision to provide more funding for stop-smoking services and the future law to raise the age for tobacco sales. If put into action, this could prevent the next generation from developing a tobacco addiction.
Source: theguardian.com
