An intervention study of smoking cessation with feedback on genetic cancer susceptibility in Japan.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate whether feedback of genetic information regarding an L-myc polymorphism, identified as impacting on tobacco-related cancer risk, has an influence on smoking cessation, an intervention study was conducted.


METHODS
We recruited smokers from first-visit outpatients at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital. Six hundred and seventeen participated and were allocated into two groups: the biomarker feedback group (BF) and the follow-up smoking status group (FS). The subjects were asked for their smoking status at enrolment and at 3- and 9-month follow-ups. BF subjects were notified about their L-myc genotype.


RESULTS
The smoking cessation rate at 9-month follow-up was essentially the same for both BF and FS cases, at 18.8% and 17.0%, respectively (P = 0.798). However, a difference in the rate was evident with non-cancer subjects (12.7% and 8.4%, respectively, P = 0.237), especially in females (15.0% and 4.2%, respectively, P = 0.024). The non-cancer subjects informed of their genotype were more likely to quit smoking than the FS patients; particularly in those having a risky genotype, this was significant (odds ratio: 2.87, P = 0.003). Again it was most prominent in females.


CONCLUSIONS
Feedback regarding an L-myc polymorphism did not impact on smoking cessation overall but appeared to benefit smokers without cancer. In addition, gender could affect the response to the feedback.
Ito
Hidemi
H
Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Chikusaku Nagoya, Japan. hidemi@aichi-cc.jp
Matsuo
Keitaro
K
Wakai
Kenji
K
Saito
Toshiko
T
Kumimoto
Hiroshi
H
Okuma
Katashi
K
Tajima
Kazuo
K
Hamajima
Nobuyuki
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016259:Genes, myc; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007721:Knowledge of Results, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016540:Smoking Cessation
D005819:Genetic Markers