Smoking has a detrimental effect on the body in many ways. However, not many people realize all the harm that it can do. New evidence suggests that it may even cause advance stages of cancer of prostate in men.
Relationship between Smoking and Cancer
Evidence confirms that an indirect relationship between smoking and a variety of types of cancer definitely does exist. The development of this serious health problem usually starts out as an illness that attacks the respiratory system.
Further damage to the body occurs when the breakdown of the immune system takes place. This effect is most noticeable in people who have smoked heavily for several years.
In men, the damage caused might include various forms of malignant cancer. In some cases, this cancer of the prostate has either spread to the prostate or started from this area of the body and worked its way to other organs.
Risk of Cancer in Smokers
Up to 66% of men who have ever smoked are at highest risk of experiencing the most advanced stages of cancer. The highest risk would be in those who presently smoke and the lowest risk is to those who quit smoking over ten years ago.
Further studies are being done on the relationship of the possibility of smoking as a cause of cancer of prostate. Some studies have already indicated that this type of cancer exists in advanced stages in many men who smoke. It may have also spread to other parts of the body.
The most advanced cases of this condition usually occur in men who have smoked the longest. For instance, men observed who smoked at least one pack a day for 40 years or two packs a day for 20 years were most at risk.
Hope for Smokers
The news regarding risk of prostate cancer and smoking is not all bad. It is never too late for a man to quit in most cases, even if they are experiencing problems now.
Even if the risk of getting cancer of prostate is still high for men who just quit smoking it is never too late to make a change. With every passing year the risk of severity of this type of cancer is decreased. Quitting smoking could even save a man's life.
People are just learning about the possibility of a linkage between cancer of prostate and smoking. The more they learn about how to prevent this type of cancer the more changes they will be willing to make.