Change in smoking habits and contribution of physicians to smoking cessation in patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer

Abstract

To assess the impact of a diagnosis of bladder cancer on smoking behavior and to analyze the role of the physician in smoking cessation. Nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer patients completed a phone survey of their smoking habits. They were asked about smoking behavior before and after the diagnosis of cancer and whether they had been informed by their physician about the relation between smoking and bladder cancer. Two hundred-twelve patients responded to the survey. the mean age was 60.03 +/- 6.36 years. Ninety-three of the 135 current smokers (68.9%) were advised to quit smoking, whereas nine of 20 nonsmokers (45%) were not commented about the future risks of smoking. the results showed that 13% of the current smokers and 35% of the current nonsmokers were not warned about the relation of bladder cancer with smoking. Statistical significance was not seen in terms of sex, disease stage, and tumor grade at diagnosis. the relation between smoking and bladder cancer has been well established. However, some patients are not informed to quit smoking by their physicians.