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7 January 2005
Passive Smoking Linked to Cervical Cancer 
Secondhand cigarette smoke increases the risk of developing cervical tumors, say researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The research, in Obstetrics & Gynecology, also corroborated previous studies that found an association between active cigarette smoking and tumor growth. "An association between active cigarette smoking and cervical cancer has been noted in numerous studies, but less is known about the potential link between passive smoking and the development of cervical neoplasia. When these new data for cervical cancer are considered in light of similar results from previously published studies, our findings suggest that passive smoking may be firmly linked with cervical cancer," said senior author Anthony J. Alberg at John Hopkins. "Our study found that women who lived with smokers had a 40 percent or greater risk of developing cervical neoplasia."
"Public health researchers already knew that passive smoking increased heart disease and lung cancer. What we found in addition is that both active and passive smoking increases a woman's risk for developing cervical neoplasia. Our study results are one more piece of evidence that should encourage smokers to quit and warn non-smokers who live with smokers to decrease their secondhand smoke exposure. Exposure to secondhand smoke can be reduced, and taking steps to reduce exposure may help to prevent cervical cancer," said Alberg.
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