Smoking significantly increases the risk of breast cancer.
A patient’s story: The unfortunate case of Ms. Nguyen Thi M. (57 years old, from Thanh Son, Phu Tho) illustrates this point. About a year ago, Ms. M. accidentally felt a small lump in her breast, about the size of a pea. However, because the lump was painless and showed no apparent abnormal signs, she neglected to seek medical attention and was also reluctant to go for a check-up.
Recently, Ms. M. started experiencing unusual discharge from her left breast. Concerned, she, along with her daughter, decided to visit the hospital for an examination. The results shocked the entire family: she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The doctors recommended a complete mastectomy, as the tumor had grown large and posed a risk of spreading further.
Upon investigating the cause, the doctors uncovered a notable risk factor: in Ms. M.’s family, her husband and two sons were all regular smokers. The smoke from their cigarettes permeated their small house, exposing her to secondhand smoke for extended periods. This prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke contributed to the development and growth of cancerous cells in her body.
Health experts have found that nearly 80,000 women who are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke face a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those with minimal exposure.
Numerous studies have established a clear link between tobacco smoke and the risk of breast cancer in women, especially post-menopause. Specifically:
- Women who start smoking after menopause have a 16% higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to non-smokers.
- Even former smokers aren’t entirely safe; their risk is still about 9% higher.
- The highest risk is among women who have smoked for over 50 years, as cancerous cells may have already silently formed by then.
- Alarmingly, women who don’t smoke but are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke in their living or working environments also face a significantly increased risk of breast cancer.
In conclusion, to protect yourself and your loved ones, it’s essential to eliminate tobacco smoke from your environment. Smoking not only increases the risk of breast cancer but also heightens the chances of developing other cancers, including lung and esophageal cancer.
Contraceptive Pill Overuse
Many women regularly take contraceptive pills because their husbands refuse to use condoms during intimacy, fearing a loss of sensation.
However, a decade-long study of 1.8 million women in Denmark revealed that for every 100,000 women using contraceptive pills, there were 13 additional cases of breast cancer per year.
Additionally, an analysis of data from over 150,000 women across 54 studies indicated a slight (7%) increase in the risk of breast cancer among women who had used contraceptive pills compared to those who had never used them.
While the exact causes of breast cancer and other cancers remain elusive, experts agree that there is a strong correlation between cancer and one’s environment. This is evident from the higher incidence of breast cancer in developed countries, where unhealthy lifestyles, including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, are more common, along with the indiscriminate use of contraceptive pills.
Therefore, men should abandon their reluctance to use condoms and quit smoking to protect their wives’ health and reduce their risk of breast cancer.
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