Most people know if they smoke their risk of mouth lung and other related cancer is increased. But do they know their risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer goes up as well? An Italian study finds the risk of contracting the cancer rises 18 percent and the risk of death from it goes up 25 percent.

The lead author of the study theorizes that not only are organs which are directly effected by tobacco at higher risk but those exposed to secondary tobacco-degradation products such as the kidneys bladder cervix colon and rectum.

The link for colorectal cancer isn’t as strong as other correlations of smoking to cancer. The connection did not reach statistical significance until patients had smoked for 30 years. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t risk before that it only means the risk wasn’t statistically strong enough on which to make a claim. Risk increased with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the number of pack years or packs per day multiplied over the year.

The studies authors want doctors to make sure that smokers are screened at regular intervals and at a younger age than non smokers.