Smoking cessation counseling in women with genital intraepithelial neoplasia

ObjectiveCigarette smoking is a risk factor for cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and anal dysplasia. We will study the prevalence of cigarette smoking in patients with genital dysplasia and effect of counseling on smoking cessation.MethodsAll patients with genital dysplasia were screened for smoking history. One clinician provided smoking cessation counseling using the US Department of Health 5 A's technique: ask patients about their smoking status, advise smokers to quit, assess their readiness to quit, assist with their smoking cessation effort, and arrange for follow-up visits. Patients were informed on how smoking may cause worsening of genital dysplasia and increased risk of progression to cancer. Each patient received 2 counseling sessions, but no pharmacological or psychological interventions. Smoking cessation was evaluated by patient self-report via phone or during clinic visits.ResultsFrom January 2007 to December 2010, 344 patients were referred to our gynecologic oncology clinic for evaluation of genital dysplasia. Patients who were smokers (n = 125, 36%) were counseled to cease smoking in 2 counseling sessions, with 100% compliance for attendance. At study analysis (July 2011), 83 patients still smoke and 40 patients quit smoking (smoking cessation rate of 32%). Caucasian patients (P = .0013) and patients with vulvar dyplasia (P = .411) seemed to smoke more than other races and patients with cervical/vaginal dysplasia respectively.ConclusionSmoking cessation counseling for the genital dysplasia patients who smoked was associated with smoking cessation in 32% of the patients.

► We evaluate the association between smoking cessation counseling and cessation of smoking in women with genital dysplasia.
► There is overwhelming data linking smoking and genital dysplasia.
► Smoking cessation was associated with smoking cessation in 35% of the patients with genital dysplasia who smoked.