title: Tobacco smoking and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a 16-year longitudinal population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although tobacco smoking is commonly cited as a risk factor for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the evidence from previous clinical and case-control studies is conflicting. We therefore aimed to prospectively examine the role of tobacco smoking in the development of SCC of the skin in a population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants were 1,287 adults aged 25 to 75 years in 1992, randomly selected from the Nambour community, with no previous history of SCC. Standard skin pigment and sun-sensitivity profiles were obtained at baseline. Detailed prospective information on sun exposure, smoking, and skin cancer occurrence (histologically confirmed) was collected over a 16-year period, 1992 to 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1,287 participants, 43% were male and average age was 48 years. A total of 188 first cutaneous SCCs were identified during the study period. After adjustment for other known risk factors, neither former nor current smokers were at raised risk of SCC: relative risk (RR) = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8-1.5 and RR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.7-1.5, respectively, compared with lifelong nonsmokers, nor were there any dose-response relationships with amount smoked or duration of smoking and risk of SCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this Australian follow-up study, tobacco smoking did not increase the risk of SCC of the skin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These prospective adjusted data provide strong evidence which suggests that cutaneous SCC should not be on the list of tobacco-related cancers.
authors.affiliation: Cancer and Population Studies Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Adèle C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*