Hallberg's Picture of Health: Study reveals additional smoking risks

Smoking may be far more deadly than anyone thought, according to the conclusions of a new study published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine

The study raises the possibility that those who smoke are at risk for at least a dozen additional deadly diseases beyond the 21 currently linked to smoking.

MPR news medical commentator Dr. Jon Hallberg talks about the implications of the research. He is a physician in family medicine at the University of Minnesota. He also shares his insights and expertise on health and health care every week on All Things Considered.

Diseases known to be caused by smoking:

• Lip and oral cavity cancer

• Esophageal cancer

• Stomach cancer

• Colorectal cancer

• Liver cancer

• Pancreatic cancer

• Laryngeal cancer

• Lung cancer

• Bladder cancer

• Kidney cancer

• Acute myeloid leukemia

• Diabetes

• Ischemic heart disease

• Other heart disease

• Stroke

• Atherosclerosis

• Aortic aneurysm

• Other arterial diseases

• Pneumonia, influenza and tuberculosis

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Newly linked diseases:

• All infections

• Breast cancer

• Prostate cancer

• Rare cancers

• Cancers of unknown site

• Hypertensive heart disease

• Essential hypertension

• All other respiratory diseases

• Liver cirrhosis

• All other digestive diseases

• Kidney failure

• Additional rare causes combined

• Unknown causes