Seung Hee Choi
Michigan State University, USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Cancer Sci Ther
While the adverse effects of smoking on cancer prognosis has been well-documented in the literature, most of the previous studies used a cross-sectional (smoking at diagnosis) or retrospective design. To determine the effect of smoking cessation after a cancer diagnosis on overall and cancer-specific survival, prospective longitudinal data were collected from newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients with a median follow-up time of 2079 days (N=460). Survival data was censored at 8 years or September 1, 2011, whichever came first. Based on smoking status, all patients were categorized into 4 groups: continuing smokers; quitters; former smokers; or never-smokers. A broad range of confounding variables were examined and controlled. While controlling for confounding variables, smoking status had a relationship with overall and cancer-specific survival. Compared to never-smokers, continuing smokers had the highest hazard ratio of dying from both all-cause (HR=4.85, 95% CI=1.98-11.88) and cancer-specific causes (HR=4.45 95% CI=1.29-15.37). Those who smoked at diagnosis but quit and did not relapse, quitters had the second-highest hazard ratio of dying from all cause (HR=2.82, 95% CI=1.12-7.12) and cancer-specific causes (HR=3.18, 95% CI=0.89-11.43). Former smokers at diagnosis with no relapse after diagnosis�former smokers�had the lowest hazard ratio of dying from all-cause (HR=2.35, 95% CI=1.23-4.48) and cancer-specific causes (HR=2.38, 95% CI= 0.99-5.74). Smoking cessation even after a cancer diagnosis showed beneficial effects on both overall and cancer-specific survival among head and neck cancer patients. Hence, healthcare providers should consider incorporating smoking cessation interventions into standard cancer treatment to improve survival among this population.
Seung Hee Choi has completed her PhD and Post-doctoral studies from University of Michigan School of Nursing, USA. She is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Michigan State University. She has published more than 10 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of repute.
Email: SeungHee.Choi@hc.msu.edu
Cancer Science & Therapy received 3644 citations as per Google Scholar report
