Smoking Linked to Cancer in Sons

Women who smoke during pregnancy may put their sons at risk for testicular cancer as adults. In a study published in 2004 in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers tracked data on the smoking habits of women of child-bearing age and the rates of testicular cancer of their sons. They found that the incidence of testicular cancer increased with increasing rates of smoking in the mothers. The researchers speculated that the tobacco smoke might disrupt or interfere with testicular development, increasing the chances for cancer.