Head cancer deaths 36% higher for smokers

Death rates for smokers diagnosed with head and neck cancer are a 36% higher than non-smokers, research has found.

Smokers who undergo surgery for tumour removal are also at greater risk of cancer death — 49% higher than non-smokers.

Moreover, the effects of smoking are not lessened by chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

However, while the findings by researchers at the National Cancer Registry are decidedly grim for smokers, the NCR’s retired director, Harry Comber, said it was never too late to quit.

“Even if a smoker diagnosed with head and neck cancer stops a week or two before surgery, he or she improves their chance of long-term survival,” said Dr Comber.

He said people were unlikely to be aware of this, instead believing that the harm had already been done.

“Once people develop cancer, they probably think smoking won’t do much more harm, but by continuing to smoke they reduce their chance of long-term survival,” said Dr Comber.

Smokers who continued to smoke also ran the risk of greater surgical complications and wound infection, he said.

The study included 5,600 patients with head and neck cancer of whom 56% (3,136) were smokers at time of diagnosis and one fifth were ex-smokers. It looked at death rates within five years of diagnosis. It found the rate of death due to cancer was “significantly raised” in smokers with oral cavity, pharyngeal, and laryngeal tumours.

Overall, the findings pointed to poorer outcomes for smokers which researchers said “may be explained, at least in part, by adverse effects of smoking on surgical outcomes and disease recurrence”.

Dr Comber, one of the research authors, said the study supported the conclusion of the recent US surgeon general’s report that smoking cessation may prolong the survival of cancer patients compared to persistent smoking.

“It suggests that benefits would accrue from greater efforts to encourage and support smoking cessation in those at risk of, and diagnosed with, head and neck cancer,” said Dr Comber. “We must convey the message that it is never too late to quit smoking.”

For help quitting smoking, call the national smokers’ quitline freephone 1800 201 203 or log onto www.quit.ie