Dual cigarette and e-cigarette use in cancer survivors: an analysis using Population Assessment of Tobacco Health (PATH) data

Introduction:
This text is a scientific article that discusses the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among cancer survivors who smoke conventional cigarettes. The study aims to compare e-cigarette use between cancer survivors and those without a cancer history and to examine the reasons for e-cigarette use among smokers. The article also explores the potential harms of e-cigarette use among cancer survivors and the implications for clinical practice.

Key Points:

* The study used cross-sectional data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco Health (PATH) study, a national longitudinal survey on tobacco use behavior.
* The analytic sample consisted of 11,305 adult current conventional cigarette smokers who reported their cancer survivorship status.
* Cancer survivors were more likely to be female, non-Hispanic White, have a less than high school education, and older than those without a cancer history.
* Among current smokers, 59.4% of cancer survivors reported ever using an e-cigarette compared to 63.2% of those never diagnosed with cancer.
* Cancer survivors had 1.28 times the odds of ever using e-cigarettes compared to those without a history of cancer.
* Among cancer survivors who were current smokers, 23.1% reported currently using e-cigarettes every day or some days compared to 22.3% of those who have never been diagnosed with cancer.
* Cancer survivors were not more likely to report using e-cigarettes for health-related reasons than smokers without a prior cancer diagnosis.
* The majority of both cancer survivors and those without a history of cancer reported using e-cigarettes for health-related reasons, such as smoking reduction or cessation.

Main Message:
The study found that cancer survivors who smoke are using e-cigarettes at similar rates as never-diagnosed smokers, and both groups use e-cigarettes largely for perceived health-related reasons. Clinicians who treat cancer survivors may need to routinely ask their patients about e-cigarette use and address the limited research on the efficacy of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid. The potential harms of e-cigarette use among cancer survivors also require further investigation. Overall, the study highlights the need for clinicians to stay informed about e-cigarette use and to discuss this topic with their patients who smoke.

Symes, Yael R., Kurt M. Ribisl, Marcella H. Boynton, J. Lee Westmaas, Deborah K. Mayer, and Shelley D. Golden. “Dual Cigarette and E-Cigarette Use in Cancer Survivors: An Analysis Using Population Assessment of Tobacco Health (PATH) Data.” Journal of Cancer Survivorship 13, no. 2 (April 2019): 161–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-019-0735-y.