Smoking kills, Tobacco causes painful death, Smoking damages your lungs. These are some famous tagline we will frequently found on the box of the cigarettes. And all of us know that smoking will damage our lungs. But you all don't know that smoking damages every organ of our body. And smoking also causes nearly 12 types of cancer of our body. And in today's topic we will discuss all of them.
Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for developing various types of cancer, including lung, throat, mouth, bladder, kidney, pancreas, and many other organs. The smoke from tobacco contains a mixture of chemicals that are harmful to human health. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens, which means they can cause cancer.
When a person inhales cigarette smoke, the chemicals in the smoke are absorbed into the lungs and then into the bloodstream, which carries them throughout the body. These chemicals can damage the DNA in cells and cause mutations that lead to the development of cancer. The carcinogens in tobacco smoke can also interfere with the body's natural defenses against cancer, such as the immune system.
Over time, the damage caused by smoking can build up and increase the risk of cancer. The more cigarettes a person smokes and the longer they smoke, the greater their risk of developing cancer. Even secondhand smoke, which is the smoke exhaled by smokers and the smoke from burning cigarettes, can increase the risk of cancer in nonsmokers.
Types of cancer from smoking
1) Lung
2) Larynx
3) Oral cavity
4) Pharynx
5) Esophagus
6) Pancreas
7) Bladder
8) Stomach
9) Colon and rectum
10) Liver
11) Cervix
12) Kidney
13) Acute myeloid leukemia
Now we will discuss every type of cancer caused by smoking in brief and in upcoming blogs we will cover it in detail if you are interested.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is one of the common cancer found in the humans and specially it is the commonest one caused by smoking. B'cause lung comes in direct contact with smoking so cancer of lung is one of the common effects found from smoking. Every 9 out of 10 deaths by lung cancer are due to the smoking.
The carcinogens in tobacco smoke can cause changes in the lung tissue, leading to the development of abnormal cells. These cells can grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor that can invade and damage surrounding tissues. Over time, these cancerous cells can spread to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis.
Smoking also weakens the body's immune system, making it less able to fight off cancer and other diseases. It can also increase inflammation and damage to the lung tissue, which further increases the risk of cancer.
It's important to note that smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer, but it is the leading cause. Other factors that can increase the risk of lung cancer include exposure to radon, asbestos, and air pollution, as well as a family history of lung cancer.
Larynx
Smoking is a significant risk factor for laryngeal cancer. When you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco smoke come into contact with the tissues of your larynx (voice box) and can cause mutations in their DNA, which can lead to the development of cancer.
The larynx is a part of the respiratory system located in the neck, which contains the vocal cords that produce sound when air passes over them. Laryngeal cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the larynx grow out of control and form a tumor. Over time, these cancerous cells can spread to other parts of the body.
Other risk factors for laryngeal cancer include excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to certain chemicals and irritants, and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV).
Cancer of oral cavity and pharynx
Smoking is a significant risk factor for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx. When you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco smoke can come into contact with the tissues of your mouth and throat, causing mutations in their DNA, which can lead to the development of cancer.
The oral cavity includes the lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, and the roof and floor of the mouth. The pharynx includes the back of the throat, the tonsils, and the base of the tongue. Cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx can occur anywhere in these regions and can cause a variety of symptoms, including sores, swelling, and difficulty swallowing.
Esophagus
Esophageal cancer, which is cancer that develops in the lining of the esophagus, the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach. The primary way that smoking causes cancer of the esophagus is through the chemicals that are released when tobacco is burned.
When you smoke, the chemicals in tobacco smoke are absorbed into your bloodstream and carried throughout your body, including your esophagus. These chemicals can damage the DNA in your cells, which can lead to mutations that can cause cancer.
In particular, smoking can cause damage to the cells that line the esophagus, making them more likely to become cancerous. The chemicals in tobacco smoke can also weaken the immune system, which normally helps to protect the body from cancer.
Over time, the repeated exposure to these harmful chemicals can lead to the development of cancerous cells in the esophagus. In fact, studies have shown that smokers are up to four times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than non-smokers.
In the other way, metastasis can also be one of the cause of esophageal cancer. Like smoking will develop cancer of the lung, pharynx, larynx and oral cavity which all are situated near the esophagus. So metastasis of cancer cells through direct contact can also be one of the reason for cancer of esophagus.
In addition to smoking, other factors that can increase the risk of esophageal cancer include heavy alcohol consumption, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Pancreas
Smoking is also a risk factor for pancreatic cancer, which is a particularly aggressive form of cancer that often spreads quickly and is difficult to treat. In fact, smoking is one of the leading risk factors for pancreatic cancer, along with a family history of the disease, obesity, and a diet high in fat and red meat.
In addition to increasing the risk of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, smoking can also interfere with the production of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This can lead to insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, which can ultimately result in type 2 diabetes.
Kidney and bladder
When you smoke, the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke are absorbed into your bloodstream and filtered by your kidneys, which then deposit the toxic substances into your bladder. This exposes the lining of the bladder and kidney to harmful chemicals, which can damage the DNA in the cells and potentially lead to cancer.
Here are some ways smoking can contribute to the development of kidney and bladder cancer :-
Chemical exposure :- Tobacco smoke contains a variety of carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aromatic amines. These chemicals can damage the DNA in the cells that line the kidney and bladder and increase the risk of cancer.
Weakened immune system :- Smoking weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off cancer cells that may form in the kidney and bladder.
Increased inflammation :- Smoking can cause chronic inflammation in the kidney and bladder, which can damage the lining and increase the risk of cancer.
Accumulation of toxins :- Smoking can also cause toxins to accumulate in the urine, which can increase the risk of cancer in the kidney and bladder.
It's important to note that the risk of kidney and bladder cancer is higher in long-term smokers and in people who smoke heavily. However, even occasional smokers or people who have quit smoking can still be at risk for developing kidney and bladder cancer.
Acute myeloid leukemia
It is a cancer of a bone marrow. Smoking is the only proven life style related cause for the acute myeloid leukaemia. Cancer-causing substances in tobacco smoke are absorbed by the lungs and spread through the bloodstream to many parts of the body. Which is a responsible for many type of cancer in our body one of its is acute myeloid leukaemia.
Cancer of other organs
Smoking is also the risk factor for the cancer of stomach, colon and rectum, cervix and liver and common pathogenesis of all is that first the carcinogens and other chemicals in the smoking are absorbed from lungs. And then it will spread throughout the blood stream and causes different types of cancer. And another one are metastasis which also can cause cancer in distant organ of body. Once the cancer occur in the organs directly in contact with smoking it will spread in whole body by metastasis.
It's important to note that quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer and other smoking-related diseases. It's never too late to quit smoking, and the benefits of quitting begin immediately.
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