Year: 2012
Type: letter
Abstract: Mfoumou et al. raise several excellent points. Cigarettes are predominant form of tobacco consumption in the world accounting for over 95% of total tobacco consumption. Numerous compounds in tobacco smoke can lead to the development and progression of cancer.1 Nicotine and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) are important contributors to the effects of tobacco on tumor progression.2 Nicotine and activation of nAChRs can increase tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition.3-5 Nicotine decreases the effectiveness of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo.6, 7 As discussed by Mfoumou et al., water pipe smoke (also referred to as a “hookah”) contains a significant number of similar toxic compounds as cigarette smoke. Even a single use of water pipe smoke can result in significant increases in carbon monoxide, nicotine and tobacco specific nitrosamines,8 also known to activate nAChRs.3 Although current evidence demonstrates that tobacco use is detrimental to cancer treatment outcome, more objective assessments of tobacco use would substantially increase the depth of our understanding of the relationship between tobacco and cancer progression.9 Unfortunately, the assessment of tobacco use and tobacco cessation in ongoing clinical trials is substantially deficient.10 As a result, considerable work remains to accurately assess the true effect of tobacco on cancer progression. Additional studies are certainly needed to assess the role of tobacco, especially combustible forms of tobacco, on cancer progression. We concur with Mfoumou et al. that this deficiency needs to be addressed with biologic studies and in ongoing cancer clinical trials. Yours sincerely, Graham W. Warren Mary E. Reid K. Michael Cummings James R. Marshall Graham W. Warren* , Mary E. Reid , K. Michael Cummings§, James R. Marshall¶, * Department of Radiation Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), Buffalo, NY, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, RPCI, Buffalo, NY, Department of Medicine, RPCI, Buffalo, NY, § Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, ¶ Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Science, RPCI, Buffalo, NY.
Source: International Journal of Cancer
DOI: 10.1002/ijc.27743
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1973725231