Smoking knowledge assessment and cessation trends in patients with bladder cancer presenting to a tertiary referral center.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the knowledge level of patients with bladder cancer (BC) regarding smoking risks. We also sought to determine the role of their urologists in initiating smoking cessation at the diagnosis. Smoking is the leading risk factor for BC in industrialized nations. However, little information is available regarding patients' knowledge of the risks of smoking and the role of their urologists in initiating smoking cessation at diagnosis.


METHODS
A smoking knowledge and cessation questionnaire was administered to 71 patients referred to the Johns Hopkins Hospital for BC from April 2008 to June 2009. The questionnaire captured data on demographics, BC history, smoking status and history, risk factor knowledge, and cessation patterns.


RESULTS
The mean age of the cohort was 65.1 years (range 42-86) and 72% were men. At the referral, all 71 patients (100%) knew smoking was a risk factor for lung cancer compared with 61 (86%) who knew it was for BC. Only 36 patients (51%) knew smoking was the leading risk factor for BC. Of the 17 patients (24%) who were smokers at their BC diagnosis, 12 (71%) were counseled by their referring urologist to quit smoking; however, the significant majority (76%) was not offered any specific intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between smoking and BC was not as well known as that of lung cancer in our cohort of patients. Most current smokers were advised to stop smoking by their primary urologist; however, few were offered any intervention to aid in cessation. Urologists should assume a more active role both in educating patients regarding smoking's link to BC and in initiating smoking cessation.
Department of Urology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. thomas.guzzo@uphs.upenn.edu
Thomas J
TJ
Guzzo
Mark S
MS
Hockenberry
Phillip
P
Mucksavage
Trinity J
TJ
Bivalacqua
Mark P
MP
Schoenberg
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*