The Need for Nicotine De-addiction Services among Newly Diagnosed Tobacco-Related Head and Neck Cancer Patients, South India

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP Vol. 23; no. 9; p. 2901
• Main Authors: Nagappa, Bharathnag, Thulasingam, Mahalakshmy, Pandjatcharam, Jagadesan, Ganesan, Sivaraman, Sakthivel, Manikandanesan, Sekhar Kar, Sitanshu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thailand 01.09.2022
• Subjects: Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - epidemiology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - therapy; Humans; India - epidemiology; Male; Nicotiana; Nicotine; Tobacco Use - epidemiology; Tobacco Use Disorder - epidemiology; Tobacco Use Disorder - therapy; Tobacco, Smokeless - adverse effects; India; tobacco smoking; head and neck cancer; smokeless tobacco use; South India
• ISSN: 2476-762X

This study aimed to determine the proportion of tobacco-related head and neck cancer patients in need of nicotine de-addiction services at the time of diagnosis and factors associated with it. Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care center. Tobacco-related head and neck cancer patients with a past and present history of tobacco usage registered in cancer clinic from March 2016 to February 2017 were recruited. Participants were interviewed using a pretested and semi-structured questionnaire to gather information on the socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, and tobacco usage. Data were entered in EpiData v3.1 and analyzed using STATA v14. Among 220 participants recruited in the study, 83% were males, 47% were >60 years of age, and 40% had no formal education. Around 49% were smoking tobacco during the treatment period, 41% used smokeless tobacco, and 10% used both smoking and smokeless. The majority (56%) of them had stage T4 tumors. Around 71% of participants required de-addiction services. Those of age more than 70 years (aRR (95%CI) 1.43 (1.1-1.9)), currently employed (aRR (95%CI) 1.5 (1.2-1.9)), living alone (aRR (95%CI) 1.6 (1.0-2.5)) or in a nuclear family (aRR (95%CI) 1.5 (1.2-2)), who initiated tobacco use at a younger age (aRR (95%CI) 1.5 (1.0-2.2) were in higher need of de-addiction services. The majority of tobacco-related head and neck cancer patients required nicotine de-addiction treatment. Hence de-addiction services should be established as an integral unit of cancer clinics.