• 8/23/2006
  • Chicago, IL
  • John Otrompke
  • www.docguide.com

Exposure to second-hand smoke can lead to a 21% increased risk of mortality in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) among former and present smokers, according to a poster presented here at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS).

Out of 135 patients who enrolled in the study, 74% of those who completed it had been exposed to second-hand smoke, said study presenter Jason Chau, MD, resident, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

A second primary cancer was identified at the age of 59 years in 16% of subjects with no exposure to second-hand smoke, compared with the age of 55 in 25% of subjects with exposure to second-hand smoke.

Thirty percent of those with no exposure had a recurrence of their cancer, compared with 40% in the exposed group, and mortality in the non-SHS group was 39% compared with 60% in the exposed group.

“Out of the 124 patients who completed the trial, all were smokers when we met them, and 60% continued smoking,” Dr. Chau said during his presentation on August 18th}. “Our study didn’t look only at the role of second-hand smoking,” Dr. Chau said, and noted that while the institution enrolled the patients in smoking cessation groups, “we didn’t aggressively involve the families in the study, and it’s harder to get the family to be as honest in learning whether the patient is exposed to [second-hand smoke] in the home.” Eighty- to 90% of head and neck cancers are tobacco and alcohol related, and there is a 34-fold greater risk of the disease in smokers compared with nonsmokers, and a 5.5-fold greater risk in heavy drinkers, the poster said. The higher dose associated with second-hand smoke is believed to be responsible, as two thirds of cigarette smoke goes into the air. Second-hand smoke also contains 70% more tar than mainstream smoke, the poster said.

Source:
Presentation title: The Effect of Secondhand Smoke in patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck. Poster P069 – AHNS 2006