Current or former women smokers at higher risk for lung cancer
Current or former women smokers are at greater risk of lung cancer than are
men who have smoked an equal amount. Although the exact reasons for this are
unknown, some experts speculate that women may have a greater susceptibility to
the cancer-causing substances found in tobacco. Others believe that estrogen may
play a role. Women also are known to inhale more than men do, and they are less
likely to quit.