With the improvement of people's living standards, smoking has become a common unhealthy lifestyle. Smoking can cause many serious health problems, including cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 7 million people die each year from diseases caused by smoking, and the number is rising. The smoking rate of middle-aged and elderly men remains high, and prostate cancer is a common "killer" that threatens the health of middle-aged and elderly men. So, does smoking increase the risk of prostate cancer?This article will describe the relationship between smoking and prostate cancer, as well as the possible pathogenesis.
Prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men, with an average age of onset of 60 years. It is not fully understood, but it has been determined that there are some factors that are associated with the occurrence and development of prostate cancer, such as age, ethnicity, family genetic history, high-fat diet, etc. In addition, lifestyle habits are also an important factor affecting the incidence of prostate cancer, and the correlation between smoking and prostate cancer is being confirmed by more and more studies.
The relationship between smoking and prostate cancer.
Although the exact cause of prostate cancer has not yet been revealed, numerous studies over the past few decades have shown that there is indeed a link between smoking and prostate cancer. According to a study published in 2019 [1], smoking can increase the incidence of prostate cancer by about 30%. Smokers have a 20-25% higher risk of prostate cancer than non-smokers. In addition, smoking can also increase the malignancy of prostate cancer, increasing the disease and mortality [2]. A recent study showed that people who smoke and were obese had an increased risk of dying from prostate cancer by about 15 times[3].
How smoking affects the development of prostate cancer.
The link between smoking and prostate cancer is not a direct causal relationship, but rather an increased likelihood of prostate cancer due to certain biochemical changes caused by smoking. First, smoking leads to increased oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which in turn may lead to DNA damage and mutations, increasing the risk of prostate cancer [4]. Second, smoking also increases the risk of prostate cancer by affecting the expression of some genes and transcription factors in prostate cancer cells [5]. From these studies, it can be seen that the links between smoking and prostate cancer are complex and diverse, and are not just causal and causal.
How to prevent prostate cancer.
Although smoking is a risk factor for prostate cancer, not all smokers develop the disease. Therefore, in life, how to prevent the occurrence of prostate cancer is very important for middle-aged and elderly men. In addition to avoiding smoking, a healthy diet is also crucial, eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and appropriate intake of fatty acid-rich fish can help prevent prostate cancer [6]. In addition, measures such as proper exercise, regular check-ups, and early** can also reduce the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer.