Risk of Cancer Greater for Early Morning Smokers

Individuals who smoke a cigarette soon after waking in the morning may have a higher risk of developing lung and head and neck cancers than those individuals who abstain from smoking right away, according to 2 new studies from Penn State College of Medicine.

Joshua Muscat, professor of public health sciences, and colleagues investigated whether nicotine dependence (as characterized by the time between waking and the first cigarette) affects smokers’ risk of lung and head and neck cancers.

The first study, a lung cancer study, included 4775 lung cancer cases and 2835 controls, all of whom were regular cigarette smokers. Research showed:

• Individuals who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking were 1.31 times more likely to develop lung cancer, compared with individuals who smoked more than 60 minutes after waking
• Those who smoked within the first 30 minutes of waking were 1.79 times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who smoked 60 minutes or more after waking

The second study, an analysis for head and neck cancer, included 1055 head and neck cancer cases and 795 controls, all with a history of cigarette smoking. The investigation showed:

• Individuals who smoked 31 to 60 minutes after waking were 1.42 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared with individuals who smoked more than 60 minutes after waking
• Those who smoked within the first 30 minutes of waking were 1.59 times more likely to develop head and neck cancer than those who smoked 60 minutes or more after waking

Study results suggest that the need to smoke soon after waking in the morning may increase a smoker’s probability of developing cancer. Therefore, because individuals who smoke first thing in the morning are at a higher risk of developing cancer, they would benefit from targeted smoking cessation programs.