HHS HealthBeat (April 22, 2008)

Cigarettes and colon cancer

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Older women who smoke may be at risk of another cancer besides lung cancer.

Mayo Clinic research reports they may have an increased risk of colorectal tumors. 

Smoking may cause these women to lose some or all of the four DNA repair proteins that combat some forms of colon cancer.

Researchers examined data from over 40,000 participants in the Iowa Women’s Health Study that began in 1986.  The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting.

Study author Paul Limburg recommends:

“People who have been exposed to tobacco smoke should make sure that they comply with colorectal cancer screening recommendations, just as we recommend for other groups in the population.”  (10 seconds)

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: April, 22 2008