Smoking status after a cancer diagnosis and long-term survival among newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients

International Conference on Oral, Mouth and Throat Cancer

August 15-17, 2016 Portland, USA

Seung Hee Choi

Michigan State University, USA

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Cancer Sci Ther

Abstract :

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.

Biography :

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