Risk factors for nicotine dependence in Chinese patients with lung cancer

OBJECTIVE: Smoking is a poor prognostic factor for lung cancer. Nicotine dependence remains the major cause of failure of smoking cessation. We investigated the risk factors for nicotine dependence in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: Eligible patients were identified from November 2014 to February 2015. Age, marital status, educational level, annual household income, occupation, histology of lung cancer, tumor stage, smoking status, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) level, drive gene mutations, sleep quality, and patient personality were assessed. Physical nicotine dependence was assessed by the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). RESULTS: In total, 202 smokers were included in this study. Univariate analysis showed that marital status and pain were significantly correlated with nicotine dependence. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that age at the initiation of smoking, attempts to quit, NSE level, and sleep quality were significantly correlated with FTND scores. CONCLUSIONS: Pain, more attempts to quit, and poorer sleep quality were significantly associated with nicotine dependence. These risk factors could help to prevent smoking in Chinese patients with lung cancer.