30% of cancer cases are caused by tobacco

In the workshop “Multidisciplinary coordination in national cancer prevention”, the National Institute for Cancer Prevention and Control provided information: Currently, the rate of cancer is increasing in both the world and Vietnam. Of which, 30% of cancer cases are due tocigarette, 30% casescancerDue to eating foods containing preservatives, 5 - 10% of cancer cases are related to genetic factors. Other causes of cancer are viruses, pesticides, toxic working environments...

30% of cancer cases are caused by tobacco. Photo: Internet

At the 3 facilities of K Hospital, there are about 4,000-5,000 inpatients and outpatients every day, of which the rate of patients with cancer caused by tobacco accounts for over 30%. Lung cancer patients account for the largest proportion of them.

Vietnam currently has 15 million adult smokers. These figures have made Vietnam one of the countries with the highest smoking rates in the world, with more than 47% of adult men smoking - according to statistics from the World Health Organization.

Thus, every day in Vietnam, more than 100 people die from tobacco-related diseases, and an estimated 40,000 people die from the same cause each year. According to the Vietnam Cancer Association, 1 in 3 people with cancer is due to cigarette smoke. It is predicted that by 2030, there will be 2 billion smokers, with up to 8.3 million deaths.

Cigarettes are considered the "mini-factory" that produces the most powerful carcinogens because each cigarette produces 60 carcinogens. Carcinogens slowly induce mutations in the genes of the cells lining the respiratory tract. In addition, cigarettes also contain nicotine, which makes smokers feel ecstatic. Cigarette filters seem beneficial, but in fact, they only filter out the lighter tar, sending carcinogens deeper into the lungs. Newer cigarettes contain more nitrates, creating more powerful carcinogens.

People who smoke a lot are at risk of lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, bladder cancer, oral cancer, and even breast cancer in women due to the effects of smoking. In addition, smoking is also the cause of other diseases such as cardiovascular disease and increased risk of infertility...

Among the 15 million smokers in Vietnam, 2/3 of women and children regularly inhale cigarette smoke at home and over 8 million Vietnamese people inhale cigarette smoke at work, 47 million people are passively exposed to cigarette smoke... These are the "unwilling victims" of smokers but are the ones who suffer the most serious consequences.