Does neighborhood or residence influence continued smoking among cancer patients: a spatial-ecological and descriptive analyses brief report.

PURPOSE: Continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis is causally linked to cancer-specific and all-cause mortality. Additionally, smoking, in particular after a cancer diagnosis, increases risk for poor therapeutic outcomes, chronic disease and even COV19 infection. METHODS: In order to better understand and address continued smoking among cancer patients, this research applied geospatial mapping analysis to explore the potential association of dedicated smoke/vape shops density and smoking among cancer patients. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that there is an association between dedicated smoke/vape shops density and continued tobacco product use among cancer patients who live in areas with greater numbers of smoke/vape shops and higher percentage of African Americans and low socioeconomic persons. In the City of Hope-Antelope Valley Center region with an average of 1.4 dedicated smoke/vape shops per sq ml, cancer patients continue to smoke at a rate of almost 10%. This rate is almost twice the 5.2% cancer patient smoking rate of the main cancer center with an average of < 1 dedicated smoke/vape shops per sq ml. CONCLUSION: Our study may inform cessation-related research, practice and policies so that researchers, clinicians and policymakers are well-aware of these disparities in dedicated smoke/vape shops proliferation that is disproportionately affecting minority patient, in particular cancer population.

Tragic Triad of Tobacco Dependence, Cancer, and COVID-19 Pandemic: An Urgent Call for Attention by Health Care Systems and Professionals.

Tobacco smoke is a well-known carcinogen associated with multiple malignancies. Patients with cancer, as well as survivors, who continue to smoke are at a greater risk for poor cancer treatment outcomes. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increased frequency and severity of the infection in patients with cancer. Furthermore, smoking and/or vaping increases incidence or likelihood of progression of COVID-19. Cigarette smoking, cancer, and COVID-19 each impose disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minorities. Geographic and population-specific analyses reveal that neighborhoods with lower income and higher minority populations have more tobacco/vape shops and face increased risk associated with tobacco marketing. Referral to tobacco cessation has been reduced during the pandemic. To reduce the adverse health effects of tobacco dependence among patients with cancer during the pandemic, urgent evidence-based solutions are described for health systems and professionals to prioritize tobacco cessation for patients with cancer in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, on the basis of cessation implementation at City of Hope Medical Center.