Which type of cancer is significantly increased in females who smoke?

Cervical cancer is significantly associated with smoking among females due to the impact of tobacco on the immune system and its role in increasing the susceptibility to human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which are a primary cause of cervical cancer. Smoking has been shown to promote the persistence of HPV infection, and it can also lead to cellular changes in the cervix that may contribute to cancer development.

While lung cancer is the most widely recognized cancer linked to smoking, especially in both males and females, the link between smoking and cervical cancer is particularly important given the additional risk factors involved with HPV. Understanding the interplay between smoking and HPV highlights why cervical cancer specifically has a notable increase in risk among female smokers. Other types of cancer, like breast and skin cancer, have varied associations with smoking but do not exhibit the same level of increased risk as cervical cancer does in women who smoke.