Smoking and Tobacco

How long did most lung cancer patients smoke?

04/05/1998 11:32PM

Question:

How long has the average lung cancer patient smoked at the time of diagnosis?
My mother quit smoking just over ten years ago, but for the 40 preceding years she was a heavy chain smoker, consuming more than 3 packs a day. Last week, at the age of 75, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Since she did not have cancer at the time she quit smoking, she thought she escaped the risk of developing lung cancer.
I, too, was a heavy smoker for 19 years and quit smoking 11 years ago at the age of 35. How much did those 19 years of smoking increase my risk of developing lung cancer?

Answer:

There are many factors that enter into the development of lung cancer in smokers. Some of these factors include: 1) susceptibility due to genetics, 2) number of cigarettes smoked and length of time, 3) amount of tar and other carcinogenic substances in the cigarettes, 4) air pollution, 5) industrial exposures (coal, asbestos, etc.), 6) health of immune system, and 7) nutritional health. Some people are heavy smokers over many years and never develop lung cancer. Others, such as your mother, unfortunately develop lung cancer even after smoking cessation.
It is difficult to say what your risk of developing lung cancer is at this time. The fact that your are now a nonsmoker for 11 years is good. It would be good to try to minimize as many of the risk factors mentioned above to improve your chances of avoiding lung cancer.

For more information:

Go to the Smoking and Tobacco health topic, where you can:

Read articles on this topic
Browse the previously asked questions
Ask your own question.

Response by:

Margie C. Sweeney, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Family Medicine
Department of Family Medicine
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati