Tobacco.org

Oropharyngeal Cancer on ADVANCE for LPNs 

In the United States, 90 percent of people with oropharyngeal cancer use tobacco products.4,9,10 Although tobacco smoke contains numerous carcinogens that directly contact the oral mucosa, tobacco tar possesses the most damaging elements.4 Smoking indirectly increases a person's susceptibility to malignancy by depressing the immune system.14 Secondhand smoke contains four chemicals defined as human carcinogens, as well as 10 others classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as probable carcinogens.15

Tobacco-related cancer risk increases significantly with the frequency and duration of smoking, especially with high-tar and non-filtered cigarettes.16 The highest risk, however, is associated with a smoking history of greater than 20 pack-years (a pack year is defined as the number of packs per day times the number of smoking years).2,16 Smokers increase their risk of developing oral cancer by 2-18 times compared to nonsmokers.2

Recent studies suggest that even greater risk is related to cigars and pipes.9 Smokeless tobacco contains 28 known carcinogens and raises the risk for buccal, gingival and inner lip cancer 50-fold.10 The nicotine in chewing tobacco is absorbed 2-3 times faster than cigarettes and remains in the bloodstream longer. Most frightening is that the quantity of nicotine in 8-10 dips of smokeless tobacco is equivalent to smoking 30-40 cigarettes a day.10

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