How Quitting Smoking Lowers the Risk of Lung Cancer and Other Illnesses

Preventing lung cancer is best achieved by not smoking. Smoking and lung cancer are so closely linked that people often assume all lung cancer patients are smokers. In reality, the intention to stop smoking is not that straightforward. The good news is that it is never too late to quit. By quitting, individuals can experience better lung health and an improved sense of well-being.

• By quitting before the age of 35, the added risk of dying from cancer due to smoking can be totally eliminated.
• For individuals who have quit - the remaining healthy cells, unharmed by smoking, can replenish the smoking-damaged cells and reduce the risk of lung cancer.
• Quitting smoking has health benefits apart from lowered cancer risks, some of which can be felt within minutes.

A recent study by the American Cancer Society found that smoking cessation greatly reduces the extra risk of dying from various smoking-related cancers. If one stops smoking before turning 35, they can almost certainly reverse the risk of dying from lung cancer. The study also showed that the risk can be reversed at any age, even if one decides to quit smoking in their 60s. However, the reversal effect decreases gradually as the age of quitting increases. Therefore, smoking as early as possible is optimal.

“Quitting smoking has health benefits at any age, no matter how long or how much you have smoked,”

– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People who quit smoking have genetically healthier lung cells that protect against lung cancer. It lowers the risk of ever-smokers developing lung cancer.

A Nature paper showed that current smokers have up to 10,000 more genetic mutations than non-smokers. These genetic mutations can be found in 90% of lung cells in current smokers. Out of these mutated cells, a quarter of them contain one cancer-causing mutation.

However, if a person stops smoking, they have a sizable number of healthy cells lining their airways. These cells are almost as healthy as those in never smokers, with much less genetic damage from smoking.The healthy cell reserve can replace smoking-damaged cells, reducing the proportion of damaged cells and potentially lowering the risk of cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the following health benefits of smoking cessation:

• IMPROVES life expectancy and quality of life
• LOWERS the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases
• LOWERS the risk of developing other lung diseases and injuries, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis and pneumonia
• IMPROVES lung function
• LOWERS the adverse effects of smoking on fetal growth
• IMPROVES the health of pregnant ladies, their fetuses and babies
• LOWERS the risk of 12 different cancers

Quitting smoking, no matter how long or how much you smoked in the past, offers substantial health benefits. The key message resonates clearly: it is never too late to quit.

While quitting can be challenging, interventions are available to assist in the process, ranging from

• Smoking cessation counseling
• Support groups
• medications and nicotine replacement therapies, such as nicotine patch or lozenge

With determination and support, anyone can embark on the journey to better health by kicking the smoking habit for good.