Report: Tobacco Use Linked to Significant Portion of U.S. Cancer Cases

Why it matters locally: Utah has a slightly lower rate of adult smoking compared to the national average, but cancer remains a leading cause of death in the state. This report could inform public health initiatives aimed at further reducing tobacco use and related cancer risks within Utah's population.

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A recent report suggests a notable connection between tobacco use and cancer diagnoses in the United States. The Vital Signs report, released this month, indicates that approximately 40 percent of all cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. may be linked to tobacco consumption. The report highlights tobacco use as a primary preventable cause of cancer and cancer-related deaths. While widely known as a cause of lung cancer, the report expands the scope of tobacco-related cancers. According to the findings, current evidence suggests that tobacco use contributes to cancers of the mouth and throat, voice box, esophagus, stomach, kidney, pancreas, liver, bladder, cervix, colon, and rectum. The report also cites a link between tobacco use and acute myeloid leukemia, a type of leukemia.