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Smoking and Oral Cancer

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Book cover Development of Oral Cancer

Abstract

Tobacco is known for its addiction and carcinogenic potential. It is one of the most avoidable risk factors of cancer. Tobacco use dates far back in the history, from being used as a medicine to becoming a commercial product for recreational use. The tobacco industry grew quickly with the development of technology and large-scale marketing. Tobacco increases the risk of multiple cancers as well as other chronic conditions. Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is one of the many cancers associated with tobacco exposure. Tobacco use is also associated with premalignant lesions of the oral cavity such as leukoplakia. The various chemicals in tobacco promote DNA damage and also cause mutations that prevent DNA repair. The number of pack years of smoking is directly proportional to the risk of developing oral cancer. Smokers are three times more likely to develop oral cancer when compared to non-smokers. The good news is that the risk reduces after smoking cessation. Primary prevention strategies are aimed at creating public awareness about the hazards of smoking which has reduced consumption to some extent in the developed countries. Secondary prevention involves screening individuals for any suspicious lesions in the oral cavity and prevents advanced disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Histopathology, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

    Brooj Abro & Shahid Pervez

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  1. Brooj Abro
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  2. Shahid Pervez
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Correspondence to Brooj Abro .

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  1. Department of Basic Medical Science, Qatar University/College of Medicine, Doha, Qatar

    Ala-Eddin Al Moustafa

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Abro, B., Pervez, S. (2017). Smoking and Oral Cancer. In: Al Moustafa, AE. (eds) Development of Oral Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48054-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48054-1_4

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