An intervention study of smoking cessation with feedback on genetic cancer susceptibility in Japan

Background. To evaluate whether feedback of genetic information regarding an L-myc polymorphism, identified as impacting on tobacco-related cancer risk, has an influence on smoking cessation, an intervention study was conducted. Methods. We recruited smokers from first-visit outpatients at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital. Six hundred and seventeen participated and were allocated into two groups: the biomarker feedback group (BF) and the follow-up smoking status group (FS). The subjects were asked for their smoking status at enrolment and at 3- and 9-month follow-ups. BF subjects were notified about their L-myc genotype. Results. The smoking cessation rate at 9-month follow-up was essentially the same for both BF and FS cases, at 18.8% and 17.0%, respectively (P = 0.798). However, a difference in the rate was evident with non-cancer subjects (12.7% and 8.4%, respectively, P = 0.237), especially in females (15.0% and 4.2%, respectively, P = 0.024). The non-cancer subjects informed of their genotype were more likely to quit smoking than the FS patients; particularly in those having a risky genotype, this was significant (odds ratio: 2.87, P = 0.003). Again it was most prominent in females. Conclusion. Feedback regarding an L-myc polymorphismi did not impact on smoking cessation overall but appeared to benefit smokers without cancer. In addition, gender could affect the response to the feedback. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.