Breast Cancer Linked to Passive Smoking

By JULIE WHELDON

YOUNG women exposed to passive smoking could be at greater risk of breast cancer, it was suggested yesterday.

The claim comes from experts in America, who drew on more than 1,000 studies on the effects of second-hand smoke.

The Californian scientists believe the fumes are to blame for the 4,000 deaths in the state each year from lung cancer or heart disease.

They say research also suggests exposure to second-hand smoke could substantially increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

As a result, officials have now declared tobacco smoke a toxic air pollutant alongside diesel fumes and arsenic.

Dr Stanton Glantz, director of the Centre for Tobacco Control, Research and Education at the University of California, said the researchers had produced ‘a seminal, international document’.

‘It’s impossible to underestimate what a big deal this is,’ he said.

‘If people are serious about breast cancer, they have to deal with second-hand smoke. That’s what this is all about.’ The California Air Resources Board declared passive smoking a toxic pollutant following a report by the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

It is thought the report was particularly swayed by research conducted in Canada last year which claimed a clear link between breast cancer in young women and passive smoking.

The findings conflict with a 2004 report by the U.S. surgeon general and some critics in the U.S said the California report fails to give the appropriate weight to other studies refuting a link.

However, the scientists say their research is more current than the surgeon general’s and is based on sound research. Every year around 41,000 British women develop breast cancer and rates have been rising by around two per cent a year.

However, UK experts were cautious about backing the American claims last night.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: ‘It is too soon to say whether passive smoking could cause breast cancer and, although this research adds to our understanding, conclusions cannot yet be drawn.

‘Irrespective of any potential breast cancer link, smoking is associated with lung and other cancers, as well as heart disease, and we advise all women not to smoke.’ The report comes as campaigners are fighting for a full smoking ban to be introduced in Britain.

The Government has proposed a partial ban that would still allow smoking in pubs that do not serve food and in private members’ clubs.

But when its Health Bill comes up for debate later this year MPs from all parties are expected to try to push for a full ban.

Ruth Yates, of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘We’ve long known the risk second-hand smoke poses for some cancers but the relationship between breast cancer and smoking has never been clearly established.

‘This useful analysis indicates that women exposed to tobacco smoke have a small but significant increased risk of breast cancer.

‘The suggestion adds even greater weight to the arguments for making all workplaces and enclosed public places smoke free without exemption.’