Smoking is known to increase the risk of 14 different types of cancer and is responsible for 30% of cancer deaths according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer looks set to become the 15th type to be added to the list after a major study published this week in Breast Cancer Research showed that smoking increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by up to 35%. The researchers found that the risk of developing breast cancer was greatest in individuals who began smoking before they started menstruating or had close family members with breast cancer. Often percentage increases in risk of developing cancer types do not translate into much actual risk. However, especially for women with a family history of breast cancer, this research should be additional food for thought regarding their future health.

Source: Forbes November 23, 2017 21:00 UTC