Smoking tobacco increases the risk of dying from skin cancer, also called melanoma.
- In France, the number of new cases of melanoma increases by 2% per year.
- Nearly 12 million French people still consume tobacco.
- Smoking tobacco increases the risk of dying from melanoma, a new study suggests.
According to a new study published in the scientific journal JAMAsmoking increases the risk of dying from skin cancer (also called “melanoma”).
“Our objective was to evaluate the association between smoking and survival in patients with early-stage cutaneous melanoma,” explain the authors of the investigation at the beginning of their report.
Tobacco: smokers are more likely to die from melanoma
Their cohort consisted of 6,279 patients in their fifties, all suffering from melanoma. 1,077 smoked, 1,694 were former tobacco users and 3,508 had never touched it. Individuals were followed for 78 months.
After analyzing the data, the researchers found that smokers were more likely to die from melanoma than former users or those who had never touched tobacco. “Smoking 20 or more cigarettes per day was associated with a doubling of the risk of death in melanoma patients,” specify the scientists. “These results also indicate that smoking at the time of melanoma diagnosis is associated with increased lymph node metastases. they conclude.
In France, tobacco is the leading cause of avoidable mortality
Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer. In France, the number of new cases (incidence) is increasing by 2% per year, despite prevention campaigns.
“Therapeutic progress, notably with the arrival of immunotherapy, has made it possible to improve the survival of people suffering from numerous cancers including melanoma, with an evolution that can be described as dazzling between 2010 and 2015 for the latter,” specifies the National Academy of Medicine.
Nearly 12 million French people still use tobacco, even if nearly 6 out of 10 daily smokers want to quit. Usage levels remain significantly higher among the least educated and/or unemployed.
“In France, tobacco is the leading cause of avoidable mortality. In fact, the number of smokers is stagnating. After supporting communities in the establishment of Tobacco-Free Spaces, we are today delighted to see this measure being implemented. generalize and fully mobilized to support its implementation across all territories”, explained Daniel Nizri, president of the League Against Cancer last November.
