Secondhand Smoke May Not Increase Breast Cancer RiskOctober 19, 2000
Research Summary
A new study suggests that secondhand smoke may not put women at risk for breast cancer, the Associated Press reported Oct. 17.The study by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey contradicts smaller studies that found that wives of smokers were more at risk of dying of breast cancer than wives of nonsmokers. "Breast cancer mortality rates did not show a statistically significant increase with the number of packs of cigarettes smoked by the spouse, the duration of spousal smoking, or the pack-years of smoking," the study said.
The study, which involved 146,488 women, is the largest to be conducted focusing on the link between breast cancer death and second-hand smoke.
"Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is an established risk factor for lung cancer, acute respiratory disorders and probably heart disease," said Daniel Artenberg, lead author of the study. But he said that previous studies linking breast cancer to environmental tobacco smoke "have been equivocal."
The report is published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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