(Teen smoking and cancer link a top priority)
Jump to full article: Canada Newswire (CNW) (ca), 2002-10-03
Intro: "Girls smoke to fit in" states high school student and cancer prevention activist Linsey Woo of Surrey. Woo is concerned about the high smoking rates among girls her age in light of new research showing a causal relationship between teen smoking and increased risk for breast cancer.
A report released this week in the Lancet indicates that girls who've being smoking within their first five years of menstruation are 70 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer compared to those who never smoke. The study, conducted by Dr. Pierre Band and Dr. Nhu Lee, was conducted by the Epidemiology Division of the BC Cancer Agency.
"We're very interested in the findings of this study", says Cheryl Ryll, Director of Communications for the BC & Yukon Division of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). "Most young people associate tobacco use with lung cancer alone. Research has confirmed that tobacco use is linked to 30% of all cancers. This study now links early tobacco use and breast cancer, an issue that is important to most women. We look forward to more research in understanding this specific breast cancer risk factor."
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"In addition to providing a prevention support program for BC teens, the Canadian Cancer Society has been a long time advocate for tobacco control - especially on tobacco advertising that makes smoking appear 'cool' to young audiences,"
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