For patients with prostate cancer, smokers may have increased risk of treatment side effects from prostate cancer.

 “Less optimal tumor control outcomes among smokers could possibly be explained by the influence of less oxygen concentration within the treated tumors among smokers, which is known to lead to less sensitivity of the cells being killed off by radiation treatments,” Dr. Michael Zelefsky noted. “Our findings point to the importance of physicians counseling their patients regarding the potential harms of smoking interfering with the efficacy of therapies and for increased risks of side effects.”

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