Smoking boosts cancer pain
Compared to non-smokers or those who have quitted the habit, smokers diagnosed with cancer are more likely to suffer from severe pain during their illness.
Several studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of developing many types of cancer but this is the first time that scientists suggest that the habit may contribute to more severe pain in cancer patients.
“Patients who continued to smoke despite their cancer diagnoses reported greater interference from pain than either former smokers or never smokers,” said lead researcher Joseph W. Ditre form Texas A&M University.
The study published in pain also found an "inverse relationship" between pain and the number of years since quitting, indicating that the longer it had been since a cancer patient had quit smoking, the less pain they would experience.
Researchers urged physicians to help cancer patients to quit smoking after being diagnosed with their underlying condition.
They, however, said that wider studies should be conducted to confirm their results and determine how the substances found in cigarette such as nicotine may influence cancer pain.
Source: presstv.ir
