Group Of Never-smokers Research Articles

HINT1 Gene Polymorphisms, Smoking Behaviour, and Personality Traits: A Haplotype Case-Control Study.

The factors influencing the development and maintenance of nicotine dependence are numerous and complex. Recent studies indicate that smokers exhibit distinct genetic predispositions to nicotine dependence. We aimed to analyse (1) the association between rs2551038 and cigarette smoking, (2) the association of between the rs3864236-rs2526303-rs2551038 haplotype and cigarette smoking, and (3) the personality traits measured by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory in cigarette users and never-smokers. No significant differences were present in the frequency of rs2551038 genotypes and alleles in the studied cigarette users compared to the control group. Cigarette users, compared to the control group, had higher scores on the NEO-FFI Extraversion scale (p = 0.0011), and lower scores were obtained by the cigarette users for the NEO-FFI Openness (p = 0.0060), Agreeability (p ≤ 0.000), and Conscientiousness (p ≤ 0.000) scales. There was a significant positive Pearson's linear correlation between the age and the Fagestrom test (r = 0.346; p < 0.0001) and the NEO-FFI Openness scale (r = 0.180; p < 0.0001) in the group of cigarette users. We observed significant linkage disequilibrium between rs2526303 and rs3864236 (D' = 0.3581; p < 2.2204 × 10-16) and between rs2526303 and rs2551038 (D' = 0.9993; p < 2.2204 × 10-16) in the tested sample. The sex-stratified haplotype analysis revealed that in the group of male never-smokers, the GTC haplotype was significantly more frequent than in the group of cigarette users (38% vs. 22%; p = 0.0039). The presented study reveals significant differences in personality trait scores between cases and controls. Moreover, the sex-stratified analysis showed significant differences in haplotype distribution. These results underscore the interplay between genetic predisposition, sex, and personality in nicotine-using individuals.

Molecular and clinical characteristics of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring KRAS G12V mutations.

8618 Background: KRAS G12V is one of the most common drivers of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounting for around 3 percent of cases. Recently, there have been promising approaches in early clinical research to therapeutically target this mutation. However, this subset of patients is poorly characterized both molecularly and clinically, and data on therapy-dependent outcome are lacking. We performed this real world analysis to gain insight into the genomic and clinical characteristics of a large cohort of NSCLC patients with KRAS G12V mutations. Methods: Molecular data of 662 UICC stage I-IV lung cancer patients diagnosed between 2018 and 2023 and harbouring a KRAS G12V mutation in their tumor tissue were linked to the medical record data in the Network Genomic Medicine (NGM) database. The mutational status was determined by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and further immunohistochemistry (IHC) for PD-L1 status was performed. Results: 662 patients with a KRAS G12V mutation were diagnosed between 01/2018 and 03/2023 (stage I: 33 (6.0%), II: 29 (5.3%), III: 89 (16.3%), IV: 396 (72.4%)), which is a proportion of 15.3% among all registered KRAS-mutated lung cancer patients in this period (n=4332). Among the KRASG12V positive primary lung carcinomas, 605 (94.3%) showed an adenocarcinoma and 17 (2.6%) a squamous cell carcinoma. The median age at diagnosis was 67 years (range: 33-91), of which 338 were men (52.6%) and 304 women (47.4%). The majority of the cohort were active or former smokers (active: 289 (54.9%); former: 208 (39.2%)). In the group of never smokers (n=33, 6.2%), there were 5 men (15.2% of never smokers) and 28 women (84.8% of never smokers). The most common mutation site at initial diagnosis in patients with metastatic disease was brain and bone metastases with 41.5% and 37.4%, respectively. The most common co-mutations with a frequency of ≥ 5% were TP53 (40.2%), STK11 (28.3%), KEAP1 (22.6%) and NTRK1-3 (8.7%). Preliminary median overall survival at UICC stage IV was 525 (95% CI: 427 – 579) days. The first PD-L1-independent analysis showed a response rate of 40.9% (18/44) to initial chemotherapy (CTX)/immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) combination, 66.7% (8/13) to ICB alone and 18.8% (6/32) to CTX alone. Conclusions: The cohort is characterized by heavy tobacco consumption. Among the never-smokers, the high proportion of women is noteworthy and will be analyzed further. Metastases at first diagnosis and concurrent mutations show clear differences to other KRAS subtypes, which highlights the heterogeneity of KRAS subtypes. We will continue to analyze the overall prognosis as well as the first indications of a PD-L1-independent benefit of immunotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone.

Comparison of Outcomes Between Nonsmokers and Patients Who Discontinued Smoking 1 Month Before Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Propensity-Matched Study With Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.

Background:Cigarette smoking has been shown to negatively affect outcomes after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). The effect of cessation of cigarette smoking before surgery has not been well established.Purposes:(1) To report minimum 2-year patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of former smokers who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS and (2) to compare these results with those of a propensity-matched control group of nonsmokers.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Data were collected for all patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS between December 2008 and November 2017. Patients were eligible if they indicated that they had previously smoked cigarettes but had quit smoking at least 1 month before surgery and had minimum 2-year postoperative outcomes for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS), and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. The percentage of hips achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) were recorded. The study group was then propensity matched in a 1:1 ratio by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) to patients who had never smoked.Results:A total of 83 former-smoking patients (84 hips; age, 45.0 ± 13.5 years) were included at a median follow-up of 38.6 months (interquartile range, 27.5-48.2 months); all patients had stopped smoking at a mean ± standard deviation of 14.3 ± 24.5 months preoperatively. Former smokers demonstrated significant improvement from preoperatively to the minimum 2-year follow-up for all recorded PROs (P < .001 for all) and achieved the MCID for the mHHS, NAHS, and VAS at favorable rates (75.0%-81.6%). Logistic regression analysis did not identify a significant relationship between cessation time and rates of achieving MCID for mHHS, NAHS, or VAS. When compared with 84 never-smokers (84 hips), the former smokers demonstrated similar preoperative scores, postoperative scores, and improvement on all recorded PROs (P > .05 for all). Both groups achieved MCID for mHHS, NAHS, and VAS at similar rates and demonstrated similar rates of revision surgery.Conclusion:Former smokers who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS demonstrated significant improvement in PROs at minimum 2-year follow-up. When compared with a propensity-matched control group of never-smokers, they achieved similar postoperative PROs and rates of achieving psychometric thresholds.

Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Midterm Outcomes After Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome: A Propensity-Matched Controlled Study With Minimum 5-Year Follow-up.

Background:There is limited literature evaluating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in cigarette smokers undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) at midterm follow-up.Purpose:(1) To report minimum 5-year PROs for cigarette-smoking patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS and (2) to compare these results with a propensity-matched control group of never-smoking patients.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Data were collected for all patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS between June 2009 and March 2016. Patients were eligible if they indicated that they smoked cigarettes within 1 month of surgery and had minimum 5-year postoperative outcomes for the modified Harris Hip Score, Nonarthritic Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score–Sport Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS), and International Hip Outcome Tool–12 (iHOT-12). The percentages of patients achieving the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) and maximum outcome improvement satisfaction threshold were recorded. The study group was then propensity matched in a 1:2 ratio to patients who had never smoked for comparison.Results:Included were 35 patients (35 hips) with a mean age of 39.4 ± 13.0 years and mean follow-up of 64.6 ± 4.1 months. These patients demonstrated significant improvement from preoperatively to a minimum 5-year follow-up for all recorded PROs (P < .05). When compared with 70 control patients (70 hips), smoking patients demonstrated significantly worse preoperative scores for all PROs (P < .05). Study patients also demonstrated worse minimum 5-year scores for all recorded PROs compared with control patients, which did not reach statistical significance but trended toward significance for HOS-SSS (70.4 vs 81.9; P = .076) and iHOT-12 (74.7 vs 82.2; P = .122). Smoking patients also trended toward lower rates of achieving PASS for the iHOT-12 compared with never-smoking patients (50.0% vs 68.2%; P = .120).Conclusion:Patients who smoked cigarettes and underwent primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS demonstrated significant improvement in PROs at a minimum 5-year follow-up. When compared with a propensity-matched control group of never-smokers, they trended toward lower postoperative HOS-SSS and iHOT-12 scores and lower rates of achieving PASS on the iHOT-12.

Implications for comorbidities, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and inflammation in current smokers

• Smokers presented higher prevalence of major depressive disorder and alcohol problems. • Smokers showed lower levels of leptin, higher levels of HDL-c and higher castelli indexes. • Maternal smoking during pregnancy was significantly more frequent among smokers. • Heavy smokers had higher levels of sTNFR1 than light-smokers. • Smokers showed higher levels of TNF-alfa and its receptors (sTNFR1 and 2) than non-smokers. Evaluate comorbidities, childhood abuse, and inflammation in current heavy-smokers compared to light-smokers and never-smokers. Current-Smokers ( n = 129) and never-smokers ( n = 85) were screened for the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances, and assessed for nicotine dependence and childhood trauma. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and its receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2), leptin, lipid hydroperoxide, and lipid profile biomarkers were measured after overnight fasting. Current-smokers presented higher prevalence of major depressive disorder (PR = 1.79, CI 95% [1.36–2.37], p <0.001), alcohol problems (PR = 1.31, CI 95% [1.05–1.32], p <0.001), cancer disease (PR = 1.57, CI 95% [1.06–2.47], p <0.001), and maternal smoking during pregnancy (PR = 1.48, CI 95% [1.14–1.91], p <0.001) in comparison with never-smokers. Current-smokers showed significantly lower levels of leptin ( p <0.001) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels ( p <0.001), higher Castelli risk indexes I and II ( ps <0.001), and lipid hydroperoxide levels ( p <0.001) than never-smokers. Among current-smokers, heavy-smokers also presented higher levels of sTNFR1 than light-smokers ( p = 0.04). This is an exploratory cross-sectional study which did not allow us to delineate associations or causality of the events. The group of never-smokers presented significantly more years of education than current-smokers. The age of our sample ranged from 18 to 65 years-old, which do not allow the generalization to older or younger population. Finally, maternal smoking was collected retrospectively based on participants’ reports. Our study suggests an opportunity to identify current-smokers who had co-occurring clinical and psychiatric comorbidities and childhood trauma, and to offer them the opportunity of personalized treatments.

Impact of Education on COPD Severity and All-Cause Mortality in Lifetime Never-Smokers and Longtime Ex-Smokers: Results of the COSYCONET Cohort.

BackgroundBeyond smoking, several risk factors for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been described, among which socioeconomic status including education is of particular interest. We studied the contribution of education to lung function and symptoms relative to smoking in a group of never-smokers with COPD compared to a group of long-time ex-smokers with COPD.MethodsWe used baseline data of the COSYCONET cohort, including patients of GOLD grades 1–4 who were either never-smokers (n=150, age 68.5y, 53.3% female) or ex-smokers (≥10 packyears) for at least 10 years (n=616, 68.3y, 29.9% female). Socioeconomic status was analyzed using education level and mortality was assessed over a follow-up period of 4.5 years. Analyses were performed using ANOVA and regression models.ResultsSpirometric lung function did not differ between groups, whereas CO diffusing capacity and indicators of lung hyperinflation/air-trapping showed better values in the never-smoker group. In both groups, spirometric lung function depended on the education level, with better values for higher education. Quality of life and 6-MWD were significantly different in never-smokers as well as patients with higher education. Asthma, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, and bronchiectasis were more often reported in never-smokers, and asthma was more often reported in patients with higher education. Higher education was also associated with reduced mortality (hazard ratio 0.46; 95% CI 0.22–0.98).ConclusionOverall, in the COSYCONET COPD cohort, differences in functional status between never-smokers and long-time ex-smokers were not large. Compared to that, the dependence on education level was more prominent, with higher education associated with better outcomes, including mortality. These data indicate that non-smoking COPD patients’ socioeconomic factors are relevant and should be taken into account by clinicians.

The great decline in adolescent cigarette smoking since 2000: consequences for drug use among US adolescents

ObjectiveAdolescent cigarette smoking declined steadily and substantially from 2000 to 2018. This paper considers the potential consequences of this ‘great decline’ for the prevalence of other drug use among adolescents.MethodsData...

The association between blood cadmium and glycated haemoglobin among never-, former, and current smokers: A cross-sectional study in France

IntroductionThe association between cadmium levels in the body and diabetes has been extensively studied, with sometimes contrasting results. Smoking is the primary non-occupational source of cadmium, and constitutes a risk factor for diabetes. One can therefore hypothesize that the putative association with cadmium is actually explained by tobacco. To fully control for this confounding factor, we studied the relationship between blood cadmium and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels separately in never-, former and current smokers. MethodsWe studied a sample of 2749 middle-aged adults from the cross-sectional ELISABET survey in and around the cities of Lille and Dunkirk; none had chronic kidney disease or a history of haematological disorders, and none were taking antidiabetic medication. The blood cadmium level-HbA1c associations in never-, former and current smokers were studied in separate multivariate models. The covariables included age, sex, city, educational level, tobacco consumption (or passive smoking, for the never-smokers), body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and (to take account of the within-batch effect) the cadmium batch number. ResultsIn the multivariate analysis, a significant association between cadmium and HbA1c levels was found in all three smoking status subgroups. A 0.1 μg/L increment in blood cadmium was associated with an HbA1c increase [95% confidence interval] of 0.016% [0.003; 0.029] among never-smokers, 0.024% [0.010; 0.037] among former smokers, and 0.020% [0.012; 0.029] among current smokers. ConclusionsThe observation of a significant association between the blood cadmium concentration and HbA1c levels in a group of never-smokers strengthens the hypothesis whereby diabetes is associated with cadmium per se and not solely with tobacco use. The small effect size observed in our population of never smokers with low levels of exposure to cadmium suggested that the risk attributable to this metal is not high. However, the impact of exposure to high cadmium levels (such as occupational exposure) on the risk of diabetes might be of concern.

Pulmonary 3He Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers of Regional Airspace Enlargement in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

Thoracic x-ray computed tomography (CT) and hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide quantitative measurements of airspace enlargement in patients with emphysema. For patients with panlobular emphysema due to alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), sensitive biomarkers of disease progression and response to therapy have been difficult to develop and exploit, especially those biomarkers that correlate with outcomes like quality of life. Here, our objective was to generate and compare CT and diffusion-weighted inhaled-gas MRI measurements of emphysema including apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and MRI-derived mean linear intercept (Lm) in patients with AATD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ex-smokers, and elderly never-smokers. We enrolled patients with AATD (n = 8; 57 ± 7 years), ex-smokers with COPD (n = 8; 77 ± 6 years), and a control group of never-smokers (n = 5; 64 ± 2 years) who underwent thoracic CT, MRI, spirometry, plethysmography, the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, and the 6-minute walk test during a single 2-hour visit. MRI-derived ADC, Lm, surface-to-volume ratio, and ventilation defect percent were generated for the apical, basal, and whole lung as was CT lung area ≤-950 Hounsfield units (RA950), low attenuating clusters, and airway count. In patients with AATD, there was a significantly different MRI-derived ADC (P = .03), Lm (P < .0001), and surface-to-volume ratio (P < .0001), but not diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide, residual volume or total lung capacity, or CT RA950 (P > .05) compared to COPD ex-smokers with a significantly different St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire. In this proof-of-concept demonstration, we evaluated CT and MRI lung emphysema measurements and observed significantly worse MRI biomarkers of emphysema in patients with AATD compared to patients with COPD, although CT RA950 and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide were not significantly different, underscoring the sensitivity of MRI measurements of AATD emphysema.

Circulating cadmium concentration and risk of aortic aneurysms: A nested case-control study within the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort

Background and aimsDiet and smoking expose the general population to cadmium (Cd), which is a toxic metal that accumulates in the arterial wall. In experimental studies, Cd causes reductions in proliferation of smooth muscle cells and cellular synthesis of procollagen. The aim of this study was to examine whether blood Cd levels, a valid measure of Cd exposure, are associated with increased risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). MethodsAll middle-aged men and women enrolled in the Malmö Diet and Cancer study (n = 30 447) were followed from the baseline examination in 1991–1996 through 2009. A total of 297 cases with AAA and two randomly selected control subjects for each case, matched for age and sex, were included. Blood Cd was analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Diagnoses of AAA, thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection were obtained from registers. ResultsIncreased blood Cd was associated with increased risk of incident AAA after adjustment for smoking and other established risk factors for AAA. The highest tertile of blood Cd concentrations had a rate ratio of 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.3, 5.0) for incident AAA. Concentration of blood Cd (log transformed) was not associated with AAA in never-smokers (n = 24). ConclusionsBlood Cd levels corresponding to the upper tertile of the distribution in the age- and sex-matched control group were associated with a 2.5-fold increase in rate ratio for incident AAA. This relationship was not found in the small group of never-smokers.

Nitrate from Drinking Water and Diet and Bladder Cancer Among Postmenopausal Women in Iowa.

Background:Nitrate is a drinking water contaminant arising from agricultural sources, and it is a precursor in the endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOC), which are possible bladder carcinogens.Objectives:We investigated the ingestion of nitrate and nitrite from drinking water and diet and bladder cancer risk in women.Methods:We identified incident bladder cancers among a cohort of 34,708 postmenopausal women in Iowa (1986–2010). Dietary nitrate and nitrite intakes were estimated from a baseline food frequency questionnaire. Drinking water source and duration were assessed in a 1989 follow-up. For women using public water supplies (PWS) > 10 years (n = 15,577), we estimated average nitrate (NO3-N) and total trihalomethane (TTHM) levels and the number of years exceeding one-half the maximum contaminant level (NO3-N: 5 mg/L, TTHM: 40 μg/mL) from historical monitoring data. We computed hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and assessed nitrate interactions with TTHM and with modifiers of NOC formation (smoking, vitamin C).Results:We identified 258 bladder cancer cases, including 130 among women > 10 years at their PWS. In multivariable-adjusted models, we observed nonsignificant associations among women in the highest versus lowest quartile of average drinking water nitrate concentration (HR = 1.48; 95% CI: 0.92, 2.40; ptrend = 0.11), and we found significant associations among those exposed ≥ 4 years to drinking water with > 5 mg/L NO3-N (HR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.47; ptrend = 0.03) compared with women having 0 years of comparable exposure. TTHM adjustment had little influence on associations, and we observed no modification by vitamin C intake. Relative to a common reference group of never smokers with the lowest nitrate exposures, associations were strongest for current smokers with the highest nitrate exposures (HR = 3.67; 95% CI: 1.43, 9.38 for average water NO3-N and HR = 3.48; 95% CI: 1.20, 10.06 and ≥ 4 years > 5 mg/L, respectively). Dietary nitrate and nitrite intakes were not associated with bladder cancer.Conclusions:Long-term ingestion of elevated nitrate in drinking water was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer among postmenopausal women.Citation:Jones RR, Weyer PJ, DellaValle CT, Inoue-Choi M, Anderson KE, Cantor KP, Krasner S, Robien K, Beane Freeman LE, Silverman DT, Ward MH. 2016. Nitrate from drinking water and diet and bladder cancer among postmenopausal women in Iowa. Environ Health Perspect 124:1751–1758; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP191

Clinical and Radiologic Disease in Smokers With Normal Spirometry.

Airflow obstruction on spirometry is universally used to define chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and current or former smokers without airflow obstruction may assume that they are disease free. To identify clinical and radiologic evidence of smoking-related disease in a cohort of current and former smokers who did not meet spirometric criteria for COPD, for whom we adopted the discarded label of Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 0. Individuals from the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) cross-sectional observational study completed spirometry, chest computed tomography (CT) scans, a 6-minute walk, and questionnaires. Participants were recruited from local communities at 21 sites across the United States. The GOLD 0 group (n = 4388) (ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration [FEV1] to forced vital capacity >0.7 and FEV1 ≥80% predicted) from the COPDGene study was compared with a GOLD 1 group (n = 794), COPD groups (n = 3690), and a group of never smokers (n = 108). Recruitment began in January 2008 and ended in July 2011. Physical function impairments, respiratory symptoms, CT abnormalities, use of respiratory medications, and reduced respiratory-specific quality of life. One or more respiratory-related impairments were found in 54.1% (2375 of 4388) of the GOLD 0 group. The GOLD 0 group had worse quality of life (mean [SD] St George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score, 17.0 [18.0] vs 3.8 [6.8] for the never smokers; P < .001) and a lower 6-minute walk distance, and 42.3% (127 of 300) of the GOLD 0 group had CT evidence of emphysema or airway thickening. The FEV1 percent predicted distribution and mean for the GOLD 0 group were lower but still within the normal range for the population. Current smoking was associated with more respiratory symptoms, but former smokers had greater emphysema and gas trapping. Advancing age was associated with smoking cessation and with more CT findings of disease. Individuals with respiratory impairments were more likely to use respiratory medications, and the use of these medications was associated with worse disease. Lung disease and impairments were common in smokers without spirometric COPD. Based on these results, we project that there are 35 million current and former smokers older than 55 years in the United States who may have unrecognized disease or impairment. The effect of chronic smoking on the lungs and the individual is substantially underestimated when using spirometry alone.

Acute effect of an e-cigarette with and without nicotine on lung function

Materials and methods We extended our protocol in a larger group of never smokers and in smokers. We implemented the same protocol with a nicotine free e-cig in a group of never smokers. We studied 60 subjects before and after smoking an e-cig containing 11mg nicotine (Group A). Group A: 9 never smokers and 51 smokers (24 had no overt airways disease, 11 asthma, 16 COPD). Another group of 10 never smokers used a nicotine free e-cig (Group B). Lung function assessed pre and post e-cig use including lung volumes, airway resistance (Raw), specific airway conductance (sGaw) and the slope of phase III. The same brand of e-cig used in both groups, with 11 and 0mg of nicotine.

Clinical Characteristics and Survival in Never Smokers With Lung Cancer

Introduction and objectiveTo analyse the frequency, clinical characteristics and survival of patients with lung cancer (LC) who have never smoked in comparison to that in patients who smoke. Patients and methodsA retrospective study in patients diagnosed with LC by cytohistology between 1999 and 2011. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. The χ2 test was used to estimate the relationship between the variables. ResultsA total of 2161 patients were diagnosed with LC, 396 (18.3%) of whom had never smoked. The mean age (±standard deviation) in this group was 72.85±10.52 years; 64.6% were women and 35.4% men. According to the cytohistology, 55.6% were adenocarcinoma, 20.5% squamous cell, 15% small cell, 2.7% large cell, and 6.2% other subtypes. The diagnosis was made in advanced stage (iv) in 61.4%, and 14.4% of the patients received surgical treatment. Survival was 12.4%, with no differences between the two groups. In the group of never smokers, women had better survival than men. ConclusionsOf the patients diagnosed with LC, 18.3% had never smoked. It was diagnosed mainly in women, at advanced stages and the most common histological type was adenocarcinoma. There were no survival differences compared to the group of smokers.

Características clínicas y supervivencia de los pacientes nunca fumadores con cáncer de pulmón

Introduction and objectiveTo analyze the frequency, clinical characteristics and survival of patients with lung cancer (LC) who have never smoked in comparison to patients who smoke. Patients and methodsA retrospective study in patients diagnosed with LC by cytohistology between 1999 and 2011. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The χ2 test was used to estimate the relationship between the variables. ResultsA total of 2161 patients were diagnosed with LC, 396 (18.3%) of whom had never smoked. The mean age (±standard deviation) in this group was 72.85±10.52; 64.6% were women and 35.4% men. According to the cytohistology, 55.6% were adenocarcinoma, 20.5% squamous cell, 15% small cell, 2.7% large cell and 6.2% other subtypes. The diagnosis was made in advanced stage (iv) in 61.4%, and 14.4% of the patients received surgical treatment. Survival was 12.4%, with no differences between the two groups. In the group of never smokers, women had better survival than men. ConclusionsOf the patients diagnosed with LC, 18.3% had never smoked. It was diagnosed mainly in women, at advanced stages and the most common histological type was adenocarcinoma. There were no survival differences compared to the group of smokers.

2657 – Does exposure to second-hand smoke impair everyday memory?

Exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) has a detrimental impact on health and may lead to deficits in general memory. No research has focused upon whether exposure to SHS affects everyday memory, of which prospective memory (PM: remembering future intentions and activities) is a good example. To explore the links between exposure to SHS and PM. This study aims to compare a group of never-smokers who reported regular exposure to second-hand smoke (the SHS group) with a group of current smokers (the CS group) and a group of never-smokers who reported never having been exposed to SHS (the Non-SHS group) on objective PM. An existing groups design was employed to compare 24 SHS, 27 CS and 28 Non-SHS on The Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT) which measures time and event based PM. Age, other drug use, mood and IQ were also measured as covariates in the study. The Non-SHS group recalled significantly more PM items on CAMPROMPT than both the SHS and CS groups, with the SHS group recalling significantly more items than the CS group. This was found after controlling for important covariates. This is the first study to observe PM deficits in non-smokers exposed to SHS. It is concluded that exposure to other people's SHS can impede everyday memory, but not to the same degree as found in active (current) smokers, when both groups are compared to non-smokers not exposed to SHS.

Exposure to second‐hand smoke damages everyday prospective memory

Prospective memory (PM: remembering future intentions and activities) is critical to everyday remembering. This study compared a group of never-smokers who reported regular exposure to second-hand smoke (the SHS group) with a group of current smokers (the CS group) and a group of never-smokers who reported never having been exposed to SHS (the non-SHS group) on objective PM. An existing groups design was employed to compare the SHS, CS and non-SHS groups. Twenty-four SHS, 27 CS and 28 non-SHS were tested on objective PM. All participants were university undergraduates aged between 18-30 years. All participants were tested individually in a laboratory setting. The Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT) was used to assess objective PM. Age, other drug use, mood and IQ were also measured as covariates in the study. The non-SHS group recalled significantly more time-based PM tasks than the SHS group (means = 16.3 versus 13.7, P < 0.001) and significantly more than the CS group (CS mean = 11.6, P < 0.001); and the SHS group recalled significantly more time-based tasks than the CS group (P < 0.002). The non-SHS group recalled significantly more event-based PM tasks than the CS group (means = 15.2 versus 11.3, P < 0.002) with no significant difference between the non-SHS group and SHS group (SHS mean = 14.3, P = 0.234); and the SHS group recalled significantly more event-based tasks than the CS group (P < 0.001). Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke may suffer impairment in time-based prospective memory.

Effect of current tobacco consumption on the male reproductive hormone profile

The knowledge about the effect of cigarette smoking on the male reproductive function is still limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between active exposure to tobacco smoke and the male reproductive hormone profile in a group of 136 Mexican flower growers. Serum levels of FSH, LH, prolactin, total testosterone, Inhibin B and estradiol were measured using enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. Weight and height were also measured and a structured questionnaire was applied to get information on sociodemographic characteristics, clinical and work history and alcohol and tobacco consumption (current smoking habit and number of cigarettes smoked per day). Based on this information tobacco consumption was divided into four categories: never-smokers, ex-smokers, current smokers under five cigarettes/day and current smokers over or equal to five cigarettes/day.Using the group of never-smokers as reference and after adjusting for potential confounders, current smokers of five or more cigarettes/day showed significantly higher levels of LH (β=0.33, p=0.01), prolactin (β=0.18, p=0.03) and testosterone (β=0.21, p=0.02). Current smokers of less than five cigarettes/day also showed higher levels of prolactin (β=0.12, p=0.03) and testosterone (β=0.18, p<0.01). Hormone levels of ex-smokers were similar to those of never-smokers.Our results are compatible with the hypothesis that tobacco consumption may act as an endocrine disruptor on the male hormone profile.

Abstract 664: Menthol cigarettes in relation to breast cancer incidence in African American women

Abstract The Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee has found that smokers of menthol cigarettes have an earlier age at smoking initiation, less success in smoking cessation, and are more likely to be African American than smokers of non-menthol cigarettes. However, whether menthol cigarettes are associated with higher cancer risk relative to non-menthol cigarettes is unclear. Recent studies of smoking and breast cancer suggest that long-term smoking may associated with a small increase in risk, but no data are available on type of cigarette. We assessed the relative effects of menthol and non-menthol cigarettes on incidence of breast cancer in a large prospective cohort of African American women. The Black Women's Health Study has followed approximately 59,000 women with biennial questionnaires since enrollment in 1995. Beginning in 2003, data has been collected on whether cigarettes smoked were menthol or non-menthol; menthol cigarettes were reported by 64.7% of smokers who provided information. During follow-up from 2003 through 2010, 739 incident breast cancer cases occurred. In proportional hazard models that controlled for age and numerous breast cancer risk factors, hazard ratios (HR) were computed for categories of pack-years of smoking of the two types of cigarettes relative to a reference group of never-smokers who reported no regular exposure to second-hand smoke. The HR for β20 pack-years of smoking non-menthol cigarettes was 1.70 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-2.76); for β20 pack-years of smoking menthol cigarettes, the HR was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.72-1.82). Our findings suggest that, to the extent that higher pack-years of smoking may be associated with breast cancer, smoking menthol cigarettes is not more harmful than smoking non-menthol cigarettes. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 664. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-664

Lung Cancer in Never Smokers

Lung cancer in never smokers (LCINS) is the seventh leading cause of death among solid tumors. The main risk factor for lung cancer is smoking; however, approximately 15% of lung cancer patients have never smoked. LCINS is more frequent in women, irrespective of geographical location, nevertheless, the highest incidence has been found in South-East Asia. The histological incidence of adenocarcinoma is higher in the group of never smokers than squamous cell carcinoma. There is a familial clustering of lung cancer that is more pronounced in never smokers, where the family history was associated with an increased risk. Genome-wide association studies identified certain chromosomal aberrations in LCINS. Furthermore, the oncogenic mutation pattern is distinct in nonsmoking patients: activating mutations of EGFR or anaplastic lymphoma kinase are more frequent. The etiology of LCINS includes several environmental factors as well, such as environmental tobacco smoke, viral and hormonal factors, a variety of pulmonary diseases and certain occupational exposures. It is now established that EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment (erlotinib and geftinib) in lung cancer is more effective in LCINS, owing to the higher incidence of EGFR mutation in nonsmokers. Despite the growing body of information on LCINS in recent years there is a need to further investigate the pathogenesis of this particular lung cancer. Future studies on LCINS should try to tackle the issues of prevention, early diagnosis and the exploration of novel therapeutic targets to combat lung cancer disease.