Excerpts from Smoking-related Research

Analysis by the Congressional Research Service (color emphasis is mine)

In response to a request from the US Congress, the Congressional Research Service undertook an analysis of the potential health effects of ETS. In particular, the analysis looked at the work on ETS which has appeared since the publication of the EPA's findings. Four studies in particular were examined -- Kabat [14], Fontham [15], Brownson [16], Stockwell [17].

Of these studies, two show no increased average risk (Kabat and Brownson),
one shows a barely statistically significant risk (Fontham),
and one shows an increased average risk which is nonetheless not statistically significant at 95% confidence level (Stockwell [18]).

Moreover, if we have to take the Fontham study, which alone of these four shows a statistically significant average increased risk, and as the relevant question about the degree of risk suggested, then in the words of the Congressional Research Service the chance of dying of lung cancer over one's lifetime "for a person exposed only to background ETS, the number drops to about 7/100 of one percent [19]. Moreover, using data from the Brownson study, "there are no annual lung cancer deaths from ETS." [20].

A new report based on research from the World Health Organization, reproduced in full. (color emphasis is mine)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Researchers said they were surprised and even embarrassed to find that smoking cigarettes apparently reduces the risk of breast cancer among women with an unusual gene mutation.

Researchers caution that the study does not mean women should smoke.

"The risks of smoking are so serious that there's absolutely no reason that any woman should consider smoking whether she is at high risk or low risk for breast cancer," said Dr. Lynn Schuchter, an oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center.

Smokers had half as many cancers

The study is being published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The authors were trying to find out what lifestyle factors might influence cancer development in women with a mutated gene called BRCA-1 or BRCA-2. By some estimates, about 80 percent of such women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. One in 250 women have the mutated gene. Doctors are hoping this discovery leads to new treatment strategies

The researchers were surprised by the results. "We found that among women who carried a mutation in one of these genes, cigarette smoking did have an effect in reducing their risk of developing breast cancer," said Dr. Caryn Lerman of the Lombardi Cancer Center.

The incidence of breast cancer among study participants who smoked heavily was 54 percent lower than among the non-smokers. The study found the more the women smoked, the less likely they were to get breast cancer.

Estrogen's role: The researchers said cigarettes are probably protecting these women because some compound in cigarettes interferes with the use of estrogen, a hormone already linked to breast cancer.

Doctors hope their research will lead to the development of new medications that reduce breast cancer risk without the deadly effects of smoking. Smoking still sharply increases the incidence of other cancers, including deadly lung cancer.

"We are embarrassed because we feel that the tobacco industry may propagate this without being responsible," said Gilbert Lenoir, a biologist who worked on the study.

Correspondent Dr. Steve Salvatore, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

"No statistically significant relationship was found in either community between smoking and coronary heart disease, hypertension or somatic complaints"

1477. University of Texas School of Allied Health Sciences. Philips, B.U., Jr.; Bruhn, J.G. "Smoking Habits and Reported Illness in Two Communities With Different Systems of Social Support." FUNDING: Univ. of Texas; National Institute of Mental Health. 1981-83.

"Preliminary data indicate greater frequency of anterior infarctions among nonsmokers." "Among patients with unstable angina, smoking was associated with less persistent rest pain and a lower proportion of smokers had chronic angina of effort prior to hospital admission. Preliminary analysis suggests a marginally lower in-hospital mortality rate among smokers after controlling for age and other prognostic factors."

0298. St. Vincent's Hospital, Dept. of Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Dept. (Dublin, Ireland). Cohort of 898 males and 415 female heart patients. 12/80-1/86.
Pipe smokers have a higher intake of nicotine than cigarette smokers (as measured by serum and urinary cotinine levels). "Since pipe smokers have little excess risk of CHD [chronic heart disease], higher chronic nicotine exposure is unlikely to be the cause of the excess seen in cigarette smokers."

0534. Medical College of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Dept. of Environmental and Preventative Medicine (England). Wald, M.J.; Bailey, A. "Nicotine and Heart Disease.".
"No difference in prevalence of cardiovascular symptoms was found [between those living with smokers and those not]"

0591. West of Scotland Cancer Surveillance Unit, Ruchill Hospital (Scotland). Gillis, C.R.; Hole, D.J.; Hawthorne, V.M. "Health Effects of Exposure to ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke] in the West of Scotland." Cohort of 16,171 (45-64 years old) screened in 1972 and 1976.
"Secular trends in mortality from oesophageal cancer in the United Kingdom are independent of secular changes in cigarette consumption, but well correlated with secular changes in alcohol consumption...alcohol acts as an indirect causal agent. The proximal causal agent is likely to be a precipitator, such as a microorganism. Genetic predisposition is also implicated"

0564. University of Leeds. Dept. of Medical Physics (England). Burch, P.R.J. "Tests of Causal, constitutional, and Mixed Hypotheses of Associations Between Smoking and Disease in Man." Funding: Univ. of Leeds. 1972 - continuing.
"Overall, smoking was not found to be associated with any of the cancers studied." (Endometrial, Ovarian, and Breast Cancer)

Centres for Disease Control. Epidemiologic Studies Branch. Division of Reproductive Health. Rubin, G.; Tyler, C.W.; Franks, A.L.; Stroup, M. "Smoking and Endometrial, Ovarian, and Breast Cancer." FUNDING: NICHD.

"The risk of breast cancer does not appear to be influenced by cigarette smoking"

1039. Boston University Medical Centre. Drug Epidemiology Unit. Shapiro. S Rosenberg. L.; Kaufman. D. "Multiple Case-Control Study of the Long Term Effects of Drug, Use in the Treatment of Chronic Disease." FUNDING: FDA (U01 FD01222-03) and NICHD [National Institute nf Child Health & Human Development].

"Women who smoke during pregnancy have full-term babies which, on the average are 5-6 grams [a fraction of an ounce] smaller than full-term babies born to nonsmoking mothers."

0755. University of Colorado. Health Sciences Centre. Moore. L.C. "Maternal O2 Transport During Pregnancy at High Altitude "

  1. Birth weight lower in the smoking group, but the incidence of smoking was higher in young, unmarried women of lower socioeconomic status. Perinatal death was also higher among young, unmarried, low income women.
  2. "No differences in antepartum hemorrhage or congenital anomalies between the groups"
  3. "Hypertension and postpartum hemorrhage were lower in smokers."

0045. University of Tasmania, ( Queen Alexandra Hospital, Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Correy, J.; Newman. N.: Currarn, J "An Assessment of Smoking in Pregnancy." Method: Since I974, this study was conducted on ALL patients in Tasmania (smoking data was collected since Jan.1981 ). Details of alcohol ingestion and drug use were also included. By 1984 information available on 90% of patients on average birth weight of infants, incidence of low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams), incidence of prematurity, congenital abnormalities, perinatal death antepartum hemorrhage and hypertension in pregnancy.
No convincing differences for viral infection or respiratory illness were seen with parental smoking as an isolated factor..."

1462. Baylor College of Medicine, Influenza Research Centre (Texas). Gardner, G.C.; Frank, A.L.; Taber, L.H. "Effects of Social and Family Factors on Viral Respiratory Infection and Illness in the First Year of Life." A longitudinal study,1975 - I980. This study was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 39 (1); 42-48, March, I984.
  1. Smoking improves human information processing.
  2. Higher nicotine cigarettes produce greater improvements [in information processing] than low-nicotine cigarettes.
  3. Nicotine tablets produce similar effects.
  4. Nicotine can reverse the detrimental effects of scopolamine on performance
  5. Smoking effects are accompanied by increases in EEG arousal and decreases in the latency of the late positive component of the evoked potential."

0574. University of Reading, Department of Psychology (England). Warburton., D.M.; Wesnes, K. "The Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Human Information Processing and the role of Nicotine in These Effects "

"In general, motor performance in all groups improved after smoking."

0530. London University, Institute of Psychiatry. O'Connor, K.P "Individual Differences in Psychophysiology of Smoking and Smoking Behaviour "

"Smokers in general are thinner than nonsmokers, even when they ingest more calories." [Numerous studies, but only two are listed below]

0885. Kentucky State University. Lee. C.J.: Panemangalore. M. "Obesity Among Selected Elderly Females In Central Kentucky." FUNDING: USDA 0942. University of Louisville. Belknap Campus School of Medicine. Satmford, B.A.; Matter, S.; Fell, R.D., et al. "Cigarette Smoking, Exercise and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol" FUNDING: American Heart Association.

"...all smokers had less plaque, gingival inflammation and tooth mobility than nonsmokers and similar periodontal pocket depth."

Veterans Administration, Outpatient Clinic (Boston). Chauncey. H.H,; Kapur, K.K.; Feldmar, R S. "The Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Study of Oral Health: in Healthy Veterans (Dental Longitudinal Study)

"Smokers have lower incidence of postoperative deep vein thrombosis than nonsmokers."

Guy's Hospital Medical School (England). Jones, R.M. "Influence of Smoking on Peri-Operative Morbidity."

"Hypertension prevalence rate among smokers was 3.94 percent; among nonsmokers the rate was 4.90 percent."

0146. Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Chen, H.Z.; Pan, X.W.; Guo, G. et al. "Relation Between Cigarette Smoking and Epidemiology of Hypertension.

"Hypertension and postpartum hemorrhage were lower in smokers."

0045. University of Tasmania (Australia). Correy, J.; Newman, N. Curran, J. "An Assessment of Smoking in Pregnancy."

"RBCs [red blood cells] from cigarette smokers contain more glutathione and catalase and protect lung endothelial cells against O2 [dioxide] metabolites better than RBCs from nonsmokers."

0759. University of Colorado. Refine, J.E.; Berger, E.M.; Beehler, C.J. et al. "Role of RBC Antioxidants in Cigarette Smoke Related Diseases." Jan 1980 - continuing.
"These results indicate that in sufficient doses chronic treatment with nicotine may be considered in the pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease. It remains to be demonstrated whether these protective actions can be extended to include also other injured neurons..."

1190. Janson, A.M.; Fuxe, K.; Agnati, L.F. Jansson, A. et al. "Protective effects of chronic nicotine treatment on lesioned nigrostriatal dopamine neurons in the male rat." Pub. in Progress in Brain Research 79:257-65, 1989.

"Several studies have reported an apparent protective effect of cigarette smoking for the risk of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). These observations are supported by neurochemical studies..." These findings suggest that the inverse association between smoking and IPD may apply to NIP [neuroleptic-indiced parkinsonism]."

4014. Decina, P.; Caracci, G.; Sandik, R.; Berman, W. et al. "Cigarette smoking and neuroleptic- induced parkinsonism." In Biological Psychiatry 28(6):502-8, Sept. 15, 1990

"There is a low prevalence of smoking in ulcerative colitis. The disease often starts or relapses after stopping smoking."

4101. Prytz, H.; Benoni, C.; Tagesson, C. "Does smoking tighten the gut?" In Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 24(9):1084-8, Nov. 1989.

"These results indicate that nonsmokers and especially ex-smokers of cigarettes have greater risk of UC [ulcerative colitis] and thus confirm the results of other studies."

4134. Lorusso, D.; Leo, S.; Miscianga, G.; Guerra, V. "Cigarette smoking and ulcerative colitis. A case control Study." Hepato-Gastroenterology 36(4): 202-4, Aug. 1989.
 

"Smoking has a protective effect on immunological abnormalities in asbestos workers."
0429. Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy (Poland). Lange, A. "Effect of Smoking on Immunological Abnormalities in Asbestos Workers.
Relative risk of lung cancer for asbestos workers was "highest for those who had never smoked, lowest for current smokers, and intermediate for ex-smokers. The trend was statistically significant. There was no significant association between smoking and deaths from mesothelioma"

0565. University of London, School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "Cancer of the Lung Among Asbestos Factory Workers."