Re: Semen of Smokers and Cervical Cancer Risk

Tokudome (1) suggested that key constituents of tobacco smoke inhaled by women are conveyed internally to the cervical mucus. He also said that another route for carcinogenic agents in tobacco smoke to be introduced into the cervical mucus is through the direct application of ‘‘tobacco-related mutagens/ carcinogens in a smoking sex partner’s semen/seminal fluid.’’ Two early reports (2,3) about cervical cancer that dealt with male partners’ smoking habits brought up the possibility that important agents in tobacco smoke adhering to the male’s fingers could be introduced into the vaginal mucus by ‘‘men using their fingers regularly within the vagina and on the clitoris during coital caressing’’ ( 3). The fingers of a male smoker might well be a very heavily coated part of his anatomy as regards the tar of tobacco smoke. Thus, these three routes of exposure for the cervix to mutagenic and carcinogenic agents derived from tobacco smoke—inhalation, including that by passive smokers (4); contaminated semen/seminal fluid; and digital stimulation of the vagina by fingers coated with tobacco tars—might well add up to a significant burden and might provide a trigger for a rise in risk for cervical cancer in women whose long-time male sexual partners are smokers.