When assessing oncological risks from exposure to combustion products and bad habits, the duration of contact with carcinogens is of key importance. This was stated by surgical oncologist and PhD in Medical Sciences Andrii Beznosenko on the Kyiv24 TV channel, emphasizing the need for timely diagnostics in wartime conditions.
Impact of Smoke and Smoking on the Body
Commenting on the consequences of inhaling smoky air after missile strikes, the doctor compared short-term exposure to a multi-year smoking history. According to Andrii Beznosenko, cancer diseases directly depend on the time factor and the regularity of toxic compounds entering the body. This rule is also confirmed by specialized research from the National Cancer Institute of the United States, which points to a direct proportional relationship between the risk of tumor development and the duration and intensity of tobacco use.
Experts remind that there is no safe threshold for smoking, and the level of threat is influenced by the age of starting the bad habit and the number of cigarettes smoked. In conditions of frequent smoke pollution due to shelling, the Center for Public Health recommends basic protective measures: tightly closing windows, refraining from long walks in the open air, and turning off forced ventilation systems capable of pulling polluted air inside premises.
Are Alternative Nicotine Products Safe
Special attention during the discussion was paid to modern electronic nicotine delivery systems, hookahs, and nicotine pouches. The World Health Organization classifies electronic cigarettes as harmful products whose aerosols contain carcinogenic compounds and toxic elements. Although the long-term consequences of their continuous use are still being studied by specialized laboratories, the accumulated database already confirms their negative impact on health.
The medical community distinguishes between the action of pure nicotine and the carcinogenic tars of tobacco smoke. Nicotine by itself does not provoke the development of oncological tumors directly, but it creates a strong chemical dependence. According to data from the British organization Cancer Research UK, it is this dependence that forces a person to continue smoking, ensuring the regular intake of dangerous carcinogens into the respiratory tract.
Problems of Late Diagnostics During the War
In the context of the full-scale invasion, a specific trend is observed in the statistics of oncological diseases: the total number of registered new cases has temporarily decreased. Experts attribute this primarily to large-scale population migration and the departure of millions of citizens abroad. Nevertheless, doctors record a disturbing increase in the proportion of patients whose tumors are detected already at late stages of development.
Logistical difficulties, stress, lack of time, and constant security threats force Ukrainians to postpone scheduled medical examinations and visits to specialized experts. Doctors urge citizens, whenever possible, not to neglect screening examinations, as it is the timely detection of neoplasms that is the main factor in successful treatment.
Significance and Consequences for the Healthcare System
The expert explanations of leading oncologists emphasize the complex nature of threats to the public health in current realities, combining the environmental factors of destruction and traditional lifestyle risks. Understanding the mechanisms of cancer development allows patients to approach prevention, respiratory protection during smoke pollution, and quitting bad habits more consciously. The main challenge for the medical sphere remains overcoming the trend towards late detection of diseases, which requires adapting the screening system and raising public awareness about the importance of regular medical control.
