Breast Cancer (BC) Is a Window of Opportunity for Smoking Cessation: Results of a Retrospective Analysis of 1234 BC Survivors in Follow-Up Consultation

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Smoking is the principal modifiable risk factor for cancers and has a negative influence on long-term survival. We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive BC survivors seen at follow-up consultations between 3 June and 30 October 2019 at Institut Curie, Paris, France. Smoking behaviors were evaluated prospectively via interviewer-administered questionnaires. The aim of this study was to describe smoking-related patient care at diagnosis and smoking cessation patterns in women with a history of BC. A total of 1234 patients were included in the study. Smoking status at diagnosis was missing from electronic health records in 32% of cases, including 13% of patients who smoke. Only 20% of the 197 patients currently smoking at diagnosis recalled having a discussion about smoking with a healthcare professional. Radiotherapists and surgeons were more likely to talk about complications than other practitioners. The main type of information provided was general advice to stop smoking (n = 110), followed by treatment complications (n = 48), while only five patients were referred to tobaccologists. Since diagnosis, 33% (n = 65) of the patients currently smoking had quit. Patients who quit had a lower alcohol consumption, but no other factor was associated with smoking cessation. The main motivation for tobacco withdrawal was the fear of BC relapse (63%). This study highlights room for improvement in the assessment of smoking behavior. Our data raise important perspectives for considering BC treatment and follow-up as a window of opportunity for smoking cessation.

Epigenetics and environment in breast cancer: New paradigms for anti-cancer therapies

“…(179). Tobacco smoking represents one of the important risk factors for breast cancer (180)(181)(182). Smoking not only affects the DNA methylation pattern of breast tumors, but it has been a critical factor linking DNA methylation and breast cancer for ER positive cancer subtypes (183,184).…”

Smoking, DNA Methylation, and Breast Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Study

“…Breast cancer caused 685,000 deaths in 2020, and it became the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. It has been confirmed that cigarette smoking, one of the most important environmental risk factors, represents a significant effect on breast cancer risk ( 1 – 4 ).…”