Smoking can increase the risk of esophageal cancer
People who smoke tobacco can buy cheap cessation products through a Canadian internet pharmacy, including nicotine patches or prescription medications.
People who smoke tobacco can buy cheap cessation products through a Canadian internet pharmacy, including nicotine patches or prescription medications. Giving up this habit can reduce one's risk of several cancers. New research from Northern Ireland suggests that smoking can increase the likelihood of upper digestive tract cancers for individuals who have Barrett's esophagus.
Patients who have Barrett's esophagus experience changes in the lining of this tube that can result from acid reflux, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This condition can increase the likelihood of a malignancy for certain individuals, but not others, for reasons that remain unclear.
A team of scientists reviewed the medical data of 3,000 patients with Barrett's esophagus, including information on smoking habits collected at the time of diagnosis. Over the years, 117 subjects developed tissue abnormalities or cancer of the esophagus or stomach.
The smoking of any number of cigarettes on a daily basis had a strong association with cancer diagnoses, as published in the journal Gastroenterology.
"Barrett's esophagus patients who smoke should start a cessation program immediately," said researcher Helen Coleman, PhD.
Further studies are needed to verify these findings, which suggest that smoking is a modifiable risk factor for esophageal cancer.
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