MONDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, smoking does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of advanced or aggressive tumors, according to research presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Los Angeles.
Matthew Abramowitz, M.D., of the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, and colleagues examined the medical records of 6,162 breast cancer patients who were diagnosed between 1970 and 2006, 9 percent of whom were smokers at the time of diagnosis.
The researchers found that there was no statistically significant effect of smoking on T stage, N stage, ER/PR status, Her2/Neu status, grade or recommended treatment. They also found that smokers were less likely than non-smokers to have Her2/Neu-negative tumors (odds ratio, 0.67).
"In this large series of patients seen at a comprehensive cancer center for consultation, smoking did not affect the clinical stage or presentation of breast cancer," the authors conclude. "Further research could explore differences in tumor Her2/Neu positivity in smokers."
Abstract
