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Published on: April 20, 2018
Postdiagnosis Smoking Cessation and Survival Outcomes of Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Elham Mohebbi1, Garret Guthrie2, Siddhi Patil1
1Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Background:
Post-diagnosis smoking remains prevalent among head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Smoking cessation may improve patient outcomes.
Methods:
A prospective longitudinal cohort study (2008-2014) included 835 newly diagnosed HNSCC patients and followed up for 7 years. Participants were categorized by smoking behavior (never smokers, former smokers, quitters, continuing smokers, and intermittent smokers). The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).
Results:
Smoking cessation after diagnosis was associated with significantly improved OS. Quitters had a 61% reduction in mortality risk compared to continuing smokers (HR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.69), with the greatest benefit in oral cavity cancer patients (HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.65). Intermittent smokers also showed improved survival (HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.79). RFS did not significantly differ based on smoking behavior.
Conclusions:
Smoking cessation post-diagnosis improves OS, particularly in oral cavity cancer patients, highlighting the importance of targeted smoking cessation interventions in HNSCC care.
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