Current cigarette smokers and their risk for occurrence of laryngeal cancer

The aim of this paper was to analyze the eventual causal associations between the habit of cigarette smoking and onset and distribution of laryngeal cancer. This was a case-control study. It comprised 185 patients with laryngeal cancer and matched controls with no malignant diseases. By calculating the odds-ratios, the risk factors that play a role in the disease onset, have been estimated. Statistical significance of the examined variables as risk factors has been defined with confidence intervals. Among the interviewees with laryngeal cancer, the category of current smokers (CS) was represented with 79%. In control group (CG) the percent of CS was two-fold smaller (40,5%). Univariate analysis demonstrated that both current and former smokers had 16,03% (95% CI, 6,25-41,12), times significantly higher risk to become ill from LarC, compared to non-smokers. More than a half of the diseased have been smoking 21-40 cigarettes/day (c/day) (54,8%). CS who were smoking less than 20 c/day had 10,49 (95% CI, 3,87-28,45), while those who were smoking above 20 c/day, had 45,6 (95% CI, 16,55-125,67), times significantly higher risk to become ill from laryngeal cancer, compared to nonsmokers. When a combination of the number of daily smoked cigarettes and the length of the smoking habit are taking into account, the risk of occurring LarC has been four times (95%, CI, 2,35-7,88), significantly higher in the interviewees who are smoking longer than 20 years, more than 20 c/day, compared to those, who in the same time period, smoke less than 20 c/day. The results obtained have confirmed the role of smoking as the most important risk factor for the onset of laryngeal cancer. Key words: larynx cancer, smoking