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Effect of smoking on survival from non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective Veterans’ Affairs Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) cohort analysis

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Abstract

Although a well-established risk factor for lung cancer, the impact of smoking on the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not well known. We performed a retrospective analysis of the Veteran’s Affairs Comprehensive Cancer Registry of NSCLC patients. Smoking status was categorized as never smoker, past smoker and current smoker based on self-reported history. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of smoking on overall survival (OS) from NSCLC. The study population (n = 61,440) comprised predominantly of males (98 %) and Caucasians (81 %). The median age at diagnosis was 68 years (range 22–108 years). Current smokers were diagnosed with NSCLC at a younger age (65 years) compared to never smokers (71 years) and past smokers (72 years) (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, current smokers (n = 34,613) [Hazard ratio (HR) 1.059; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.012–1.108], but not past smokers (n = 23,864) (HR 1.008; 95 % CI 0.962–1.056), had worse OS for Stage III and IV NSCLC, compared to never smokers (n = 2,963). Smoking status was not prognostic in stages I and II NSCLC. Current smokers were diagnosed with NSCLC at a younger age than never smokers. Although current smoking was associated with worse prognosis, especially in stages III and IV, the impact of smoking status on OS was modest.

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Acknowledgments

The facilities of the VA-Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System were used during the course of this study.

Conflict of interest

There are no conflicts of interest associated with the contents of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Oncology-Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 987680 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7680, USA

    Vijaya Raj Bhatt, Fausto R. Loberiza Jr. & Apar Kishor Ganti

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA

    Rishi Batra

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Veteran’s Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE, USA

    Peter T. Silberstein & Apar Kishor Ganti

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA

    Peter T. Silberstein

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  1. Vijaya Raj Bhatt
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Correspondence to Apar Kishor Ganti.

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Bhatt, V.R., Batra, R., Silberstein, P.T. et al. Effect of smoking on survival from non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective Veterans’ Affairs Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) cohort analysis. Med Oncol 32, 339 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-014-0339-3

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