Tobacco Smoke and the Risk of Breast Cancer... In Young WomenDo Young Women Develop Breast Cancer?Yes, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women aged under 50, and is the most common cancer causing death among women within this age group in Canada.
More than 22,000 Canadian women are diagnosed each year with breast cancer, resulting in more than 5,000 deaths every year.
(1) This means that 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 1 in 27 women will die of breast cancer in their lifetime.
Young women's cancers are generally more aggressive and result in lower survival rates.
(2)** About 47% of new pre-menopausal breast cancer
(A) cases each year in Canada can be attributed to secondhand
(B) smoking.**
How Is Tobacco Exposure Linked to Breast Cancer?The evidence suggests that exposure to tobacco smoke early in life may carry important risks for breast cancer later on.(3)
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Active Smoking: This is especially true for women who start smoking in their early teens, and smoke for a number of years before having children, or who continue to smoke for a couple of decades.
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Secondhand Smoke: There is now sufficient evidence to declare that secondhand smoke is a risk factor for breast cancer in younger women.
(4)What Can You Do?Spread the news about tobacco smoke and breast cancer.
Links To More Information On Young Women, Tobacco Smoke, and Breast Cancer-
Young Survival.orgAn international network dedicated to the concerns and issues that are unique to young women and breast cancer.
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http://www.inwat.org/pdf/THE_ NET_Sept07_Feb08.pdfAn article title "Tobacco Smoke As A Cause of Breast Cancer in Young Women" by Dr. Kenneth Johnson.
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http://www.cbcf.org/breastcancer/bc_risk_er_to.htmlInformation about tobacco smoke as a risk factor for breast cancer.
Information On Giving Up Smoking-
Smoke FreeA National health organization, Physicians For A Smoke-Free Canada.
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Quit NowA link that provides comprehensive resources and support for people trying to give up smoking.
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(A): Women with pre-menopausal breast cancer are mostly under age 50.
(B): Secondhand smoke is also commonly referred to as passive smoking, involuntary smoking, and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
(1): Canadian Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute of Canada: Canadian Cancer Statistics, 2007.
(2): Young Survival Coalition.
(3): Physicians For a Smoke-Free Canada.
(4):California Environment Protection Agency. Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant. California Environmental Tobacco Protection Agency, Air Resources Board, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, June 2005.
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