Abstract
Many patients diagnosed with head-and-neck cancer are current or former smokers. Despite the well-known adverse effects of smoking, continuation of smoking during cancer treatment is associated with reduced efficacy of that treatment and with cancer recurrence. In the present study, we examined smoking characteristics in patients with head-and-neck cancer near the time of cancer treatment. A prospective cohort of patients with head-and-neck cancer who attended a dental oncology clinic before receiving cancer treatment at a regional cancer centre were invited to participate in a study that involved completing an interviewer-administered questionnaire to assess smoking characteristics, intention to quit, motivation to quit, and strategies perceived to potentially aid in successful cessation. The study enrolled 493 ever-smokers, with a response rate of 96.1% and a self-reported current smoker rate of 37.1% (n = 183). Most of the current smokers reported high nicotine dependence, with 84.7% (n = 155) indicating a time to first cigarette of 30 minutes or less. Most had previously attempted to quit smoking (77.0%), and many had prior unsuccessful quit attempts before resuming smoking again. Most were interested in quitting smoking (85.8%), and many (70.5%) were seriously considering quitting smoking within the subsequent 30 days. Patients with head-and-neck cancer reported high nicotine dependence and high interest in cessation opportunities near the time of treatment for cancer. Those results might provide support for provision of smoking cessation opportunities.
Highlights
Many head-and-neck cancers are strongly associated with tobacco use[1], and continuation of smoking during cancer treatment has been associated with adverse outcomes such as reduced efficacy of cancer treatment[2,3], increased symptom burden, oral mucositis[2], treatment-related complications[3], depression[4,5], occurrence of second primary cancers[3], and poor survival[2,3]
Patients who attended from 21 December 2010 through 10 April 2018 were screened for a history of smoking using the question “Have you ever smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?” Ever-smokers were invited into the study which involved completing an interviewer-administered questionnaire that assessed intention to quit, motivation level, and smoking characteristics; providing a buccal, saliva, or blood sample for genetic analyses; granting researchers access to medical records; and consenting to future contact for determination of cessation and other health-related outcomes
The main finding in the present study is that most of the current smokers (85.8%) who were preparing to receive treatment for head-and-neck cancer were interested in smoking cessation opportunities, and many (70.5%) were seriously considering quitting within the subsequent 30 days
Summary
Many head-and-neck cancers are strongly associated with tobacco use[1], and continuation of smoking during cancer treatment has been associated with adverse outcomes such as reduced efficacy of cancer treatment[2,3], increased symptom burden, oral mucositis[2], treatment-related complications[3], depression[4,5], occurrence of second primary cancers[3], and poor survival[2,3]. Despite the established causal relationship between tobacco smoking and cancer, many patients with cancer continue to smoke after diagnosis. Supporting patients with smoking cessation opportunities is an important component of cancer treatment and an important component in the treatment trajectory forpatients with cancer. The proportion of current smokers among patients with head-and-neck cancer appears high (Beynon et al.6, 24%; Sterba et al.7, 41%; Burris et al.8, 56%; Sharp et al.9, 56%), often falling within the 45% –60% range reported in a recent review of patients with cancer[3]. Many patients with cancer who smoke perceive the practice to be harmful[12]; high rates of continued smoking after diagnosis[3] (47% –60%) and of smoking relapse in SMOKING CHARACTERISTICS IN PATIENTS WITH HEAD-AND-NECK CANCER, Conlon et al
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
