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what is the cancer (oral, pancreatic, etc) risk reduction in terms of % over time after quitting using smokeless tobaccco? Is the risk of cancer proportionate to the time smokeless tobacco was used? Is there a link between smokeless tobacco use and pancreatic cancer and what is the incidence of pancreatic cancer with smokeless tobacco users? The same questions for cigar use. Thx
Hello, this is Dr. David. I have read your question and am ready to help.
we don't have enough data for smokeless tobacco or cigar smokers. there aren't enough of them and people use them at different rates
Thank you Dr. David,
also smokeless tobacco is not the only thing which can cause oral cancers.
oral HPV virus can cause oral cancers.
heavy alcohol use can also cause pancreatic cancer as well and so that confuses things
There is not data on cancer rate redcuction after quitting either? I quit chewing 20 years ago, smoking cigars (about 3 per week ) 12 years ago and i chewed nicorette gum for about 3 years. I have a history of pancreatic cancer in my family (my paternal grandmother and fraternal grandfather) died of PC. I a 53 years old and use no more tobacco and i have never really consumed alcohol to any degree. How worried should I be about cancer and what precausitons can I take to detect or avoid it ? Aalso is it worth getting a BRAC gene test fot pancreatic cancer risk assesment?
BTW I quit chewing nocorette 10 years ago
you shouldn't worry too much about cancer.
you have already quit chewing and cigars.
the nicorette shouldn't affect anything.
pancreatic cancer is not too often hereditary.
I don' think you need to test for BRCA gene
IE should i worry about this, its kinda part of a mid life assesment - crisis (:
you should exercise and get plenty of fruits and vegitables to decrease your risk of future cancers
sorry you are in crisis.
Dr David just o be clear and have piece of mind, with smoking cessation there is data shwoing that after 15 yeasr post qutting there is a 90% risk reduction of lung cancer , there is not a similar statistic when qutting chewing tobaccco and or cigar smoking, IE is there a residual risk for me? Does the body usually completely clear - destroy mutated cell lines that result from tobacco use or can cancer occur dwon the line in an insidious manner ?
5% risk reduction per yer for smoking.
so 15 years would be 75% risk reduction.
we don't have this data for chewing.
there is a residual risk for you but tiny risk.
again, chewing is not the only way to get oral cancer.
if you have HPV in your throat, that can cause oral cancer as well, even if you never chewed.
Thank you Dr David, how does one know if they have HPV in their throat / oral cavity ? I also have geographic tongue is that worrisome for cancer or benign or somehow related to past tobacco use or correlated to HPV?
no, geographic tongue does not increase your risk for cancer.
there are no current tests for oral HPV.
I wish there were.
women can get their cervical pap cells tested for HPV.
scary , i am health nut and exercse all the time and have a healthy vegetarian diet, does that help negate the negative effects from past bad habits substiantailly ? If so how is that quamtified ? BTW I might sound hypochondriachal but I in the heart valve business and since I am not in the cancer field the lack of knowledge i have about cancer and considering my past habits this makes me nervous.
yes, exercise and a good diet can help decrease your chance of cancer as much as possible.
Thank you, very helpful.
Dr David can you write me once more so i can rate your answers and you can get credit ?
sorry. try again.
thanks for using JustAnswers.com
Experience: Experienced Oncology Physician, Trained in NYC, Ready to help.