Analysis of cigarette smoking habits of cancer patients referred to the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre.

PURPOSE

To review cigarette smoking among patients referred to the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre (NEORCC).

METHODS

Database analysis of the smoking history information for patients referred to the NEORCC from 1991-1999 was performed.

RESULTS

Data was available for 15,850 patients and 72.7% reported being either current or previous smokers. Approximately 24.5% of patients were still smoking and 7.8% had quit within the last year. Smoking rates and total consumption were highest among those patients with cancers arising in the lung, bladder, esophagus and head & neck regions. The percentage of patients reporting a history of smoking remained consistently high over the time period studied.

CONCLUSIONS

Cigarette smoking rates are high among NEORCC patients and strategies to improve the situation are required.