Study data revealed that women who never smoked cigarettes and who were exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke over a lifetime--especially during adulthood--had a significantly increased breast cancer risk later in life.
The findings, that were published in the December issue of the AACR journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, provide additional evidence for public health risks from secondhand smoke exposure.
“Our study is one of the largest of its kind and had some of the most detailed measures of passive smoking of any study to date,” said NCCC Senior Research Scientist Peggy Reynolds, Ph.D., who directed the study. “Because the California Teachers Study has extensive information on known risk factors for breast cancer, we could rigorously assess the impact of passive smoking, independent of those factors.”
Based on the findings, Dr. Reynolds suggests more research is needed to better assess overall secondhand smoke exposure patterns.
About the AACR:
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research (www.aacr.org) is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research.
Northern California Cancer Center
