If I quit smoking, am I still at risk of lung cancer?
Quitting smoking can improve your health drastically, but you’re still at risk for developing lung cancer. Here’s why.
Quitting smoking lowers risk, but not to zero
Quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you can make for your health. But do past smoking habits continue to put you at risk for lung cancer, even after you’ve quit?
The answer is yes, according to Kim Baker-El Abiad, MD, clinical associate professor of internal medicine-pulmonary, critical care and occupational medicine at University of Iowa Health Care.
“The lung cancer risk for smokers will never be the same risk as somebody who has never smoked,” she says. “But when somebody quits smoking, their risk will decrease over time.”
Why am I still at risk of lung cancer after quitting smoking?
There’s still a risk of developing lung cancer after quitting because the damage caused by smoking can persist long after you’ve had your last cigarette. Smoking introduces carcinogens into the body that can cause changes in lung cells, leading to cancer over time. These changes may remain dormant for years, which means that former smokers carry a higher risk than individuals who have never smoked.
The level of risk depends on several factors, including how long and how much you smoked. Smokers are approximately 15 to 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But once you quit, your risk begins to decrease. Within 10 years of quitting, your risk of dying from lung cancer is about half compared to someone who is still smoking, based on research from the American Cancer Society.
Does the risk decrease over time?
Your risk of lung cancer will continue to decrease the longer you go without smoking. Here’s how risk reduction works:
- Within months of quitting, your lungs start to repair themselves. Cilia, the tiny hair-like structures in your lungs that help clear mucus and debris, begin to recover—improving lung function and reducing the risk of infections.
- After five years, your risk of cancers in other parts of the body such as the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder, is reduced by about half.
- After 10 years, your risk of lung cancer drops significantly as your body repairs much of the damage caused by smoking. Although it doesn’t return to the same level as someone who has never smoked, the difference is substantial.
- After 20 years, your risk of lung cancer approaches that of someone who never smoked, depending on individual factors such as your overall health, age and genetic predispositions.
What should current or former smokers do?
Whether you’re a current or former smoker, there are proactive steps you can take to protect your health, according to Baker-El Abiad:
Even if you’ve been smoking for decades, stopping can improve your overall health and significantly lower your risk of lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases. Seek support through smoking cessation programs, nicotine replacement therapies, or counseling.
Former smokers should discuss lung cancer screening with their health care provider. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual low-dose CT scans for people ages 50 to 80 who have a significant smoking history and either still smoke or have quit within the last 15 years.
Eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, and avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke and other lung irritants can further reduce your cancer risk.
A persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing up blood are common symptoms of lung cancer. If you experience these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.
While most smokers express a desire to quit, it’s not easy. The CDC reports that fewer than one in 10 adults who smoke cigarettes succeed in quitting each year. But the earlier you quit, the greater the health benefits. For former and current smokers, vigilance and proactive health measures can make a significant difference.
“It’s never too late to quit smoking or to get screened,” Baker-El Abiad says.
