Tobacco Control and Smoking

Factsheets - Over 80% of lung cancers are caused by smoking

Fact Sheet 5: Over 80% of lung cancers are caused by smoking

Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer.¹ As a result, lung cancer is the most preventable form of cancer death.²

People who smoke are about 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.¹

Smoked tobacco in any form causes up to 90 percent of all lung cancers and is a significant risk factor for strokes and fatal heart attacks.³

In New Zealand, the leading common site for cancer causing death is lung cancer (lung, bronchus and trachea). It is also the most commonly registered cancer among Mäori males and is the leading cause of cancer causing death for Mäori females.

In 2004, there were 1,555 deaths from lung cancer (929 male and 626 female). This represents 19.1 percent of all cancer deaths and 5 percent of all deaths in New Zealand for that year. There were also 1,819 new cases of lung cancer reported that year.⁴

The age at which a person starts smoking has an impact on their risk of developing lung cancer. The younger the age that a person starts smoking, the higher the later risk of developing lung cancer.^5,6 The longer a person smokes and the more cigarettes they smoke, the greater their risk of developing lung cancer.^5,6,7

There is also evidence that smokers with other lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have a greater risk of developing lung cancer. ⁶

Smoking low-tar cigarettes does not reduce your risk of developing lung cancer.¹

Your risk of developing lung cancer drops by up to 50 percent 10 years after you quit smoking. ¹

Quitting at any age will help, however the largest reduction in risk occurs in those who quit the earliest.⁶

Second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer in non-smokers. Non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke at home or at work have an increased risk of developing lung cancer of 20-30 percent. ^8,9

Want to quit smoking? The most important thing is to make a quit attempt. For help, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, quit smoking provider or call the Quitline on 0800 778 778 or visit The Quit Group web site at www.quit.org.nz