Breast cancer treated with radiation therapy: Smokers have an increased risk of lung cancer

A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom[1] highlights the increased risk of lung cancer in patients treated with radiation therapy for breast cancer who continue to smoke. While radiation therapy is very effective in reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence, it can cause serious side effects, including an increased risk of lung cancer.

Female smokers more exposed to this risk

In the UK, radiotherapy is one of the most common treatments for breast cancer patients, given to around two thirds of women diagnosed. It is effective in reducing the risk of the disease recurring and dying. However, a new study led by Carolyn Taylor, Professor of Oncology at the University of Oxford, reveals that women who continue to smoke during and after radiotherapy are at a much higher risk of developing lung cancer later in life.

According to this research, non-smokers treated with radiotherapy for breast cancer have a risk of developing lung cancer later that is less than 1 %. In contrast, this risk is between 2 % and 6 % in smokers who do not stop smoking during and after treatment. This study, funded by Cancer Research UK, highlights the importance of tobacco control to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments and prevent serious long-term complications.

How Radiation Therapy Causes Cancer 

Radiotherapy works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, which helps destroy them and prevent them from coming back. However, this process can also affect healthy cells nearby, such as those in the lungs, increasing the risk of developing another cancer in the long term. “The radiation used in breast cancer treatment can unfortunately affect surrounding tissue, which is particularly problematic for smokers, whose lungs are already compromised,” says Carolyn Taylor.[2].

A message for smokers

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), stresses the need to educate patients about the dangers of smoking during their cancer treatment. “Continuing to smoke during and after radiotherapy not only increases the risk of secondary cancers, it also makes the treatment less effective and more difficult to tolerate,” she says.[3].

Smoking, a recognized risk factor for breast cancer

Cancer Research UK recently highlighted that smoking is a risk factor for breast cancer, alongside other causes such as diet and genetics.[4].

In response to this scientific evidence, the UK government is committed to strengthening smoking cessation services, with programmes specifically aimed at hospitalised patients, including those with cancer. In line with recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)[5], every smoker admitted to the hospital must have access to a smoking cessation program. These services offer behavioral support as well as pharmacological aids such as nicotine replacement therapy and medications such as varenicline or bupropion[6].

Furthermore, Cancer Research UK stresses the importance of legislative measures, such as the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill[7], to create the first tobacco-free generation. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is a bill that seeks to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 1^er January 2009, establishing a gradual ban for future generations. At the same time, it proposes restrictions on e-cigarettes, including limiting products designed to appeal to young people. The bill is part of a broader national strategy to gradually reduce smoking rates, with the ultimate goal of achieving a tobacco-free country in the coming decades.

©Tobacco Free Generation

RK

[1] Https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clon.2024.05.002 (accessed 23/09/2024)

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/22/uk-breast-cancer-patients-smoking-after-radiotherapy-increase-lung-cancer-risk-study (accessed 23/09/2024)

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/22/uk-breast-cancer-patients-smoking-after-radiotherapy-increase-lung-cancer-risk-study (accessed 23/09/2024)

[4] https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/07/09/breast-cancer-smoking-link/ (accessed 23/09/2024) https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/07/09/smoking-cancers-reach-all-time-high/ (accessed 23/09/2024)

[5] National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

[6] https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs207/chapter/Quality-statement-5-Treatment-to-stop-smoking-in-hospital (accessed 23/09/2024)

[7] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tobacco-and-vapes-bill-2024 (accessed 23/09/2024)