Studies have shown that people differ in how their bodies process different chemicals, including the toxic chemicals in tobacco. Examinations of the connection between breast cancer risk and differences in the processing of these toxic tobacco chemicals have produced conflicting results. This is an active area of research that may allow the identification of women who are more susceptible to the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke. Does smoking affect the survival of women with breast cancer? The effect of smoking on the survival of women with breast cancer is unclear. Some studies have reported an association between smoking and an increase in the risk of death, while others found no.
