High Prevalence of Lung Cancer in Former Smokers
Author Information
Author(s): Mong Cindy, Garon Edward B, Fuller Clark, Mahtabifard Ali, Mirocha James, Mosenifar Zab, McKenna Robert
Primary Institution: Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of smoking at the time of lung cancer diagnosis in a surgical patient cohort?
Conclusion
Most lung cancer patients in this surgical cohort had stopped smoking more than a decade before their diagnosis.
Supporting Evidence
- 77% of patients had a smoking history.
- 11.3% of patients were current smokers.
- The mean length of smoking cessation was 18.1 years.
- Adenocarcinoma was more prevalent in never-smokers.
Takeaway
Even if people stop smoking, they can still get lung cancer many years later. This study looked at patients who had quit smoking and found many of them still developed lung cancer.
Methodology
Retrospective study analyzing lung cancer patients referred for surgery, examining smoking history and tumor histology.
Potential Biases
Potential underreporting of smoking history due to stigma.
Limitations
The study may not be generalizable due to selection bias and reliance on self-reported smoking history.
Participant Demographics
51.3% male, 48.7% female, mean age 70.1 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.0004
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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