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 [313-319]. 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 [315,317-318].

Women who are current smokers but have smoked for less than 10 years don’t appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer [313,315-317,320].

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

Learn about starting smoking early in life and breast cancer risk.

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.

The benefits of quitting smoking

For smokers, it’s never too late to benefit from quitting. Talk with your health care provider about ways to quit.

There are many resources to help including:

American Cancer Society – Quitting Smoking
www.cancer.org/

American Lung Association – Quit Smoking
www.lung.org/quit-smoking/

National Cancer Institute – Where To Get Help When You Decide To Quit Smoking
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco/smoking
1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848)

National Cancer Institute’s Smokefree.gov
www.women.smokefree.gov
State Tobacco Quit Lines
1-800-QuitNow (1-800-784-8669)

1. Know your risk

Talk with both sides of your family to learn about your family health history.
Talk with a health care provider about your risk of breast cancer.

2. Get screened

Talk with a health care provider about which screening tests are right for you if you’re at higher risk.
Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you’re at average risk.*
Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 25, and every year starting at age 40.*

* Per National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines

3. Know what is normal for you

See a health care provider if you notice any of these breast changes:

Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
Change in the size or shape of the breast
Dimpling or puckering of the skin
Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
Pulling in of the nipple or other parts of the breast
Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away

To see illustrations of these warning signs, please visit the Warning Signs of Breast Cancer page.

4. Make healthy lifestyle choices

Maintain a healthy weight.
Make exercise part of your routine.
Limit alcohol intake.
Limit menopausal hormone therapy (postmenopausal hormone use).
Breastfeed if you can.

Updated 12/17/24

This content is regularly reviewed by an expert panel including researchers, practicing clinicians and patient advocates.