Over the years research has consistently shown a link between cigarette smoking and pre-cancerous colorectal polyps. Pooling results of over 42 studies, researchers found that current smokers more than doubled their risk for an adenoma with the ability to become cancer.
Stopping smoking helped, but there was still an increased risk of about 50 percent among former smokers.
Risk was higher for advanced adenomas, the most dangerous kind.
Led by Edoardo Botteri, the team concluded,
This meta-analysis provides strong evidence of the detrimental effect of cigarette smoking on the development of adenomatous polyps. Smoking is important for both formation and aggressiveness of adenomas.
SOURCE: Botteri et al., Gastroenterology, Volume 134, Number 2, February 2008.
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