The Unseen Impact: Why Capturing Smoking Status Matters in Cancer Clinical Trials
A group of experts emphasizes the importance of recording smoking status in cancer clinical trials, highlighting its influence on treatment outcomes and patient survival. The commentary underscores the need for systematic smoking data collection to refine therapy efficacy estimates, particularly in low and middle-income countries with high tobacco use.
- Country:
- India
In a recent commentary published in Lancet Oncology, a coalition of experts from AIIMS Delhi, McMaster University, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) highlight a critical gap in cancer clinical trials: the failure to systematically record smoking status. They argue this oversight can diminish treatment efficacy and patient survival rates.
The group, including notable expert Dr. Abhishek Shankar, stresses that understanding a patient's smoking habits can significantly influence clinical decisions and trial outcomes. They call for the integration of smoking cessation initiatives and precise data collection protocols in clinical research, particularly to benefit low and middle-income countries where tobacco use is prevalent.
The commentary points to the need for structured tobacco-use assessments as a component of standard cancer care and warns that the absence of such data could skew trial results. The experts advocate for smoking status capture in trials to become a fundamental aspect of oncology research.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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