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Breast Cancer Risk Factors: Smoking

Smoking and breast cancer risk

Women who smoke for many years may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer [312-318]. Women who are current smokers and have been smoking for more than 10 years appear to have about a 10% higher risk of breast cancer than women who’ve never smoked [314,316-317].

Women who are current smokers but have smoked for less than 10 years don’t appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer [312,315-316,318-320].

Whether past smokers have an increased risk of breast cancer is under study.

For a summary of research studies on smoking and breast cancer risk, visit the Breast Cancer Research Studies section.

Learn about smoking and breast cancer survival.

Learn about other factors linked to the risk of breast cancer.

Smoking and health

Although smoking may only be linked to a slight increase in breast cancer risk, stopping smoking, or never smoking, is one of the best things you can do for your health.

Smoking is related to an increased risk of many cancers and other health conditions, including [321]:

Cancers

  • Bladder cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Cervical cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Larynx cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Throat and mouth cancers

Other health conditions

  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke

Smoking and breast cancer survival

A large pooled analysis of data from about 10,000 women who had been treated for breast cancer found those who smoked had an increased the risk of [322]:

  • Breast cancer-specific mortality (death from breast cancer)
  • Overall mortality (death from any cause, not necessarily breast cancer)

The more women smoked, the higher these risks [322].

The American Cancer Society recommends anyone who smokes, including people treated for cancer and their caregivers, quit smoking [323].

Learn more about smoking and breast cancer survival.

For a summary of research studies on smoking and breast cancer survival, visit the Breast Cancer Research Studies section.

Updated 04/25/24