Title | Electronic cigarette use among patients with cancer: Characteristics of electronic cigarette users and their smoking cessation outcomes |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2014 |
Authors | Borderud, SP, Li, Y, Burkhalter, JE, Sheffer, CE, Ostroff, JS |
Journal | Cancer |
Volume | 120 |
Pagination | 3527–3535 |
ISSN | 1097-0142 |
Keywords | CANCER, electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes), smoking cessation, tobacco |
Abstract | BACKGROUND Given that continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis increases the risk of adverse health outcomes, patients with cancer are strongly advised to quit. Despite a current lack of evidence regarding their safety and effectiveness as a cessation tool, electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) are becoming increasingly popular. To guide oncologists' communication with their patients about E-cigarette use, this article provides what to the authors' knowledge is the first published clinical data regarding E-cigarette use and cessation outcomes among patients with cancer. METHODS A total of 1074 participants included smokers (patients with cancer) who recently enrolled in a tobacco treatment program at a comprehensive cancer center. Standard demographic, tobacco use history, and follow-up cessation outcomes were assessed. RESULTS A 3-fold increase in E-cigarette use was observed from 2012 to 2013 (10.6% vs 38.5%). E-cigarette users were more nicotine dependent than nonusers, had more prior quit attempts, and were more likely to be diagnosed with thoracic and head or neck cancers. Using a complete case analysis, E-cigarette users were as likely to be smoking at the time of follow-up as nonusers (odds ratio, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.5-1.7). Using an intention-to-treat analysis, E-cigarette users were twice as likely to be smoking at the time of follow-up as nonusers (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-3.3). CONCLUSIONS The high rate of E-cigarette use observed is consistent with recent articles highlighting increased E-cigarette use in the general population. The current longitudinal findings raise doubts concerning the usefulness of E-cigarettes for facilitating smoking cessation among patients with cancer. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of E-cigarettes as a cessation treatment for patients with cancer. Cancer 2014;120:3527–3535. © 2014 American Cancer Society. |
URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.28811 |
DOI | 10.1002/cncr.28811 |
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