Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify factors associated with continued smoking before and after treatment in laryngeal cancer (LC) patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 108 patients, evenly distributed into three groups based on primary treatment: radiotherapy (RT)/chemoradiotherapy, transoral laser surgery (TOLS), and open-partial laryngectomy (OPL). Patients who remained abstinent from smoking for at least 6 months at the 1st year were accepted as ex-smokers. The relationship between patients' smoking status and demographic characteristics, disease- and treatment-related parameters, and data obtained via self-questionnaires at pre-treatment, the 1st month, and 1st year post-treatment follow-ups was analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Patient age, education level, smoking intensity, perceived disease seriousness, importance of smoking cessation, information satisfaction, pre-treatment quality of life (QoL), and treatment method differ between LC patients who quit and those who continue smoking. Potential negative predictors for pre-treatment cessation and ex-smoker status include advanced age and age > 64.5 years, lower education level, advanced and > 47 pack-years smoking consumption, low perceived disease seriousness, low importance on cessation, poor pre-treatment QoL, and less invasive treatment. Notably, cessation before treatment might be the strongest predictor of being an ex-smoker, with an OR of 47.6 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study identified the potential predictors of smoking cessation in the post-diagnosis period, and might facilitate the detection of high-risk patients who need intensive smoking cessation interventions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.