The effect of active and passive smoking associated with breast cancer

Abstract

Background and Objective: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and continues to be a major cause of cancer death. Major risk factors for breast cancer studied for many years, but epidemiologic studies have been inconsistent in suggesting all association between smoking and breast cancer risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of active and passive smoking on breast cancer. Methods: In this case-control study, 105 patients with confirmed breast cancer referred to Omid hospital in Mashhad and were compared with 105 healthy women who were living in their neighborhood and were the age-matched (±3 years) with case group. Information concerning potential risk factors exposure status was collected by structured questionnaire and interview. Breast cancer risk relation to smoking was estimated by calculating the odds rations. Findings: In this study, smoking had no relation with breast cancer. Passive smokers had an odds ratio 18.5 (95% CI=8.7-39.4). The women used water pipe had an odds ratio 7.3 (95% CI=2.7-19.7). Also, in people who were passive smokers during their childhood, the odds were 4.86 fold. Conclusion: The findings suggested that the risk of breast cancer has a positive relationship with active and passive smoking and water pipe use. Thus, health interventions including no exposure to smoking and not use water pipe seem to be necessary in this regard.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• smoking
• passive smoking