Smoking, drinking, and depression: comorbidity in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Kristen McCarter; Amanda L Baker; Benjamin Britton; Luke Wolfenden; Chris Wratten; Judith Bauer; Sean A Halpin; Gregory Carter; Alison K Beck; Lucy Leigh; Christopher Oldmeadow

doi:10.1002/cam4.1497

Smoking, drinking, and depression: comorbidity in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Cancer Med. 2018 Jun;7(6):2382-2390. doi: 10.1002/cam4.1497. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, PO BOX 833, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia.
² Department of Radiation Oncology, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Waratah, New South Wales, 2298, Australia.
³ Centre for Dietetics Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4067, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychology, Faculty of Science and IT, University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia.
⁵ Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, LOT 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, 2305, Australia.

Abstract

We aimed to determine the prevalence and co-occurrence of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptoms among a sample of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy. A total of 307 HNC patients participated in a multi-site stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of a dietitian-delivered health behavior intervention in patients with HNC undergoing radiotherapy. During week one of radiotherapy patients completed measures of smoking, alcohol consumption, and level of depression. Approximately one-fifth (21%) of patients had two or more co-occurring problems: current smoking, hazardous alcohol use, and/or likely presence of a major depressive episode (MDE). Approximately one-third (34%) of the sample were current smokers, one-third (31%) were drinking hazardously and almost one-fifth (19%) had likely cases of depression. Comorbidity of smoking, hazardous alcohol use, and MDE is high in HNC patients, and interventions need to address this cluster of cancer risk factors.

Keywords: Alcohol; comorbidity; depression; head neck cancer; smoking.

Publication types

Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alcohol Drinking / adverse effects*
Comorbidity
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression / complications*
Female
Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
Head and Neck Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Risk Factors
Smoking / adverse effects*

Associated data

ANZCTR/ACTRN12613000320752