Smoking and the risk of prostate cancer: a review of risk and disease progression

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-9-2025

Publication Title

Genes Environ

Keywords

Prostate cancer; Hormonal imbalance; Public health; Risk factors; Smoking; Smoking cessation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is still the most common malignancy affecting men worldwide, with causes ranging from genetics to environmental and lifestyle factors. This review narrows its attention to investigate smoking as a risk factor for the start and progression of prostate cancer. While age, ethnic differences, family history, and genetic abnormalities such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 remain important, smoking-particularly long-term and heavy use-emerges as a modifiable risk factor that needs deeper consideration. Though this review attempts to offer a worldwide perspective on smoking and prostate cancer risk, we also include a focus on new research from India, given the country's particular regional patterns and growing evidence.

METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was undertaken using "smoking" and "prostate cancer." The criteria for selecting articles were relevancy, developing research, and accessibility. The exclusion criteria eliminated non-human research and associated issues. This study examined worldwide patterns, however primarily focused on tobacco use and prostate cancer in India according to recent findings. Regional research emphasised smoking and prostate cancer risk patterns and mechanisms.

RESULTS: Tobacco use is still a substantial risk factor for several malignancies, including prostate cancer. Globally, smoking has been associated with an increased risk of getting prostate cancer, with research indicating that smokers had a greater prevalence of aggressive illness. Tobacco usage is very common in India owing to a variety of cultural, societal, and economic variables; hence it is a key focus of this research. The effect of tobacco in prostate cancer risk in India is still being studied, and the data shows that smoking in the Indian population may worsen the development and progression of prostate cancer, similar to worldwide patterns but with regional differences.

CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how smoking affects prostate cancer may improve prevention and early diagnosis, which has public health consequences. These methods may involve targeted screening or lifestyle changes. This review emphasis smoking as a key prostate cancer risk factor, focusing on new Indian findings. More research is required to assess smoking's full impact on prostate cancer risk, particularly in different populations and locations.

PubMed ID

41068886

Volume

47

Issue

1

First Page

17

Last Page

17

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