The Association between Cigarette Smoking and Age at Cancer Diagnosis

Document Type

Article

Authors

Arthur M. Michalek, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo NY
K Michael Cummings, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo NY

Abstract

The relationship between cigarette smoking and age at cancer diagnosis was examined separately for a variety of cancer sites in two popula- tions of cancer patients representing two different eras spanning a 25 year period. One study population consisted of 8608 cancer patients seen at Roswell Park Memorial Institute between 1957 and 1965. The second study population included over 17000 cancer patients diagnosed in the Western New York area between 1979 and 1982. The relationship between cigarette use and age at diagnosis was found to be consistent for cancer sites examined in both populations. Current smokers were found to be on average, for all sites combined, six years younger at diagnosis than never smokers. These findings may reflect the immunosuppressive properties of cigarette smoke resulting in earlier age at cancer diagnosis.

Recommended Citation

Michalek, Arthur M. and Cummings, K Michael (1987) "The Association between Cigarette Smoking and Age at Cancer Diagnosis," Human Biology: Vol. 59: Iss. 4, Article 7.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol59/iss4/7