Cumulative effects of lifetime passive smoking on cancer risk.

Cancer risk from cumulative household exposure to cigarette smoke was evaluated in a case-control study. Overall cancer risk rose steadily and significantly with each additional household member who smoked over an individual's lifetime. Cancer risk was also greater for individuals with exposures during both childhood and adulthood than for individuals with exposures during only one period. These trends were observed for both smoking-related and other sites. These findings are preliminary and must be confirmed with other studies. Nonetheless, they suggest that effects of exposure to the cigarette smoking of others may be greater than has been previously suspected.