science museum

Smoking

The biggest immediate impact we could make on cancer would be to stop people smoking. Smoking causes a third of all cases of cancer, and is the biggest single cause of cancer deaths in the UK. Cigarette smoke contains 3000 different chemicals, some of which are carcinogens. Some people have a lower risk of developing lung cancer. Their cells may be more efficient at repairing the gene damage caused by the carcinogens.

Smoking causes a third of all cases of cancer.
Smoking causes a third of all cases of cancer.
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