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Cancer Causes & Control

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Open Access 01-08-2009 | Original Paper

Cigarette smoking and risk of colorectal cancer among Norwegian women

Authors: Inger T. Gram, Tonje Braaten, Eiliv Lund, Loic Le Marchand, Elisabete Weiderpass

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 6/2009

Abstract

Objective

The association between cigarette smoking and colorectal cancer (CRC) is still not established. In 2002, Norwegian women had the second highest incidence of CRC in the world. A large proportion of Norwegian women are ever smokers. We examined the association between cigarette smoking and CRC incidence among Norwegian women.

Methods

We followed 68,160 women, aged 30–69 years, from the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study who completed a questionnaire in 1996 or 1998 by linkages to national registers through 31 December 2005. Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by fitting Cox proportional hazard models. Subsequently, we estimated the population attributable fraction.

Results

Altogether, 425 incident cases of primary, invasive CRC were identified. Ever smokers had a 20% increased risk of CRC (RR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.0–1.5), a 30% increased risk of colon (RR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.0–1.7), and a 10% increased risk of rectal (RR = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.7–1.5) cancer compared to never smokers. The population attributable fraction was estimated to be 12% which indicated that approximately one in eight of the CRC cases could have been prevented at a population level.

Conclusion

Our results support the hypothesis that cigarette smoking is a preventable cause of CRC among women.

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Title: Cigarette smoking and risk of colorectal cancer among Norwegian women
Authors: Inger T. Gram
Tonje Braaten
Eiliv Lund
Loic Le Marchand
Elisabete Weiderpass
Publication date: 01-08-2009
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 6/2009
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9327-x

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Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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