Abstract

Background: Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for many oral cavity disorders, including oral cancer. Oral pathology clinics lack their own smoking cessation services, thus oral cancer patients do not have direct and prompt access to cessation treatments.

Aim: To plot implementation of a smoking cessation counseling technique in an oral pathology department and to preliminary evaluate the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program in smokers with oral cancer.

Material and methods:  59 smokers out of 210 patients with oral malignancies addressed to an oral pathology university department underwent a specially designed 3 sessions smoking cessation counseling program (brief advice, a personalized questionnaire and counseling). Clinical evaluation of both smoking and oral status was done at enrollment and in 8 weeks follow-up.

Results: Majority of smokers were men, age average 57.2 (SD: 4.6) and 49.2 smoked > 20 cigs/day.  Most frequently, oral malignancy affected the lips and the jowl. All 59 smokers attended the first session (brief advice) and answered the personalized questionnaire and 46 (78%) agreed to try to quit smoking. Abstinence rate at 8 weeks follow up was 52.5% and oral status improvement was identified in all quitters.

Conclusions: Smoking cessation is beneficial for oral cancer patients. There is a great need to design a personalized smoking cessation approach for this category of high risk patients.