Accuracy of self-reported tobacco use in newly diagnosed cancer patients.

Purpose: Accurate identification of tobacco use is critical to implement evidence-based cessation treatments in cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of self-reported tobacco use in newly diagnosed cancer patients.

Methods: Tobacco use questionnaires and blood samples were collected from 233 newly diagnosed cancer patients (77 lung, 77 breast, and 79 prostate cancer).

Nicotinic modulation of therapeutic response in vitro and in vivo.

Tobacco use significantly increases the risk of developing cancer. Moreover, there is growing evidence that tobacco use decreases survival in cancer patients. Nicotine, a systemically available component of tobacco, is associated with tumor promotion and decreased apoptosis in cell culture; however, the role of nicotine on response to radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in vivo has not been evaluated.