According to recent study, the link between tobacco smoke and cancer deaths has been strengthened and suggests that increased smoking control efforts can save more lives than previously estimated. It has been estimated that almost 70% of cancer deaths among adult men is due to smoking and the percentage is much higher than previous estimate in 2001.
Bruce Leistikow, lead author, a UC Davis associate adjunct professor of public health sciences says, the study provides support for increasing evidence among researchers that smoking is key cause for many cancer deaths, other than lung cancer.
The entire impact of tobacco smoke including second hand smoke, have been unnoticed in a hurry to analyze potential factors of cancer like diet and other environmental contaminants. Smoking turns out to be more probable answer apart from other cancer factors.
The researchers used information of National Center for Health Statistics for comparing the mortality rate from lung cancer deaths to death rates from other cancers in adult men. The estimation revealed that there is rise in cancer death rates from 1979 to 2003 and mostly it is among males aged between 34 to 70 years.
The study suggests that increased attention should be paid to smoking and to prevent various health risks through health care reforms and health promotion campaigns.
