Clinical and behavioral characteristics of active smokers with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) in an urban setting: Attitudes underlying high-risk disease.

e16027 Background: Cigarette smoking is associated with 85% of SCCHN, and active smoking has been associated with poor prognosis. The objective of this study was to examine the clinical, behavioral and psychosocial factors associated with tobacco use in patients (pts) with SCCHN undergoing curative-intent radiotherapy (RT). Methods: Self-report questionnaires were administered to 24 pts with SCCHN undergoing curative-intent RT at Montefiore Medical Center who had reported smoking within 6 months prior to diagnosis. Data collected at baseline included demographics, smoking behaviors and attitudes, mood state using MHI-5, and quality of life (QoL) using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires. Results: Most participants (79%) were male, 38% were married, and 70% had a high school education or less. Forty-six percent were African American and 21% were Hispanic. Most pts had oropharyngeal (33%) or laryngeal (42%) cancers, and 67% had stage IV disease. The mean number of cigarettes smoked per day was 21.6. ...