Cancer Causes (cont.)
Growing older
The most important risk factor for cancer is growing older. Most cancers
occur in people over the age of 65. But people of all ages, including
children, can get cancer, too.
Tobacco
Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death. Each year, more than
180,000 Americans die from cancer that is related to tobacco use.
Using tobacco products or regularly being around tobacco smoke
(environmental or secondhand smoke) increases the risk of cancer.
Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop cancer of the lung,
larynx (voice box), mouth, esophagus, bladder, kidney, throat, stomach,
pancreas, or cervix. They also are more likely to develop acute myeloid
leukemia (cancer that starts in blood cells).
People who use smokeless tobacco (snuff or chewing tobacco) are at
increased risk of cancer of the mouth.
Quitting is important for anyone who uses tobacco - even people who have
used it for many years. The risk of cancer for people who quit is lower than
the risk for people who continue to use tobacco. (But the risk of cancer is
generally lowest among those who never used tobacco.)
Also, for people who have already had cancer, quitting may reduce the
chance of getting another cancer.
There are many resources to help people stop using tobacco:
- Staff at the NCI's Smoking Quitline (1-877-44U-QUIT) and at LiveHelp
(click on "Need Help?" at http://www.cancer.gov) can talk with you about
ways to quit smoking and about groups that help smokers who want to quit.
Groups may offer counseling in person or by telephone.
- A Federal Government
Web site, http://www.smokefree.gov, has an online guide to quitting smoking
and a list of other resources.
- Doctors and dentists can help their patients
find local programs or trained professionals who help people stop using
tobacco.
- Doctors and dentists can suggest medicine or nicotine replacement
therapy, such as a patch, gum, lozenge, nasal spray, or inhaler.
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