How does cancer risk change after a person stops smoking?

When a regular tobacco user successfully quits smoking, the risk of developing cancer decreases. However, it is important to note that this risk does not drop to the level of someone who has never smoked.1

While the risk for cardiovascular disease falls relatively quickly—with noticeable reductions occurring within one year of cessation—the decrease in cancer risk is a more gradual process. Because tobacco use involves persistent exposure to numerous carcinogens that can damage cellular DNA, the long-term health benefits of quitting are profound, and health authorities emphasize that cessation is one of the most critical steps an individual can take to improve their long-term health outcomes.213