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.
Source: Catherine Shanahan, Irish Examiner, 22/08/14
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