Risk assessment of Gastrointestinal cancer in hookah and opium users

Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers prevail in Iran. The existing literature shows the relationship betweentobacco and opium consumption and the incidence of this type of cancer. Yet, there is scarce research on the effectof simultaneous consumption of these Substances on cancers, especially GI cancers. Therefore, the present studyaimed to test the relationship between hookah and opium smoking and the effects of their simultaneous use on GIcancers in Minab city in Hormozgan province.Materials and methods: The present case-control study was conducted on ۶۰ cases (patients with GI cancers) and۱۲۰ controls (healthy residents) of Minab, a city in Hormozgan province. In this study, chi-square and Fisher's exacttests were used to test the difference between the participants’ characteristics in the case and control groups.Moreover, the logistic regression model was used to test the relationship between hookah and opium consumptionand GI cancers as the main outcome. Findings: The mean ± standard deviation of participants’ age was ۵۵.۵۸ ± ۱۲.۸۰ (R = ۳۰-۸۱) in the control group and ۵۶.۲۲ ± ۱۳.۸۸ (R = ۳۰-۹۰) in the case group. The prevalence of opium, cigarette, and hookah consumption in the case group was ۵۵%, ۴۰%, and ۶۵%, respectively. In the control group, it was ۴.۲%, ۱۰%, and۹.۲%, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p <۰.۰۰۱). The results showed that tobacco and opium significantly increase the risk of GI cancers. This risk is increased significantly respectively in participants smoking only cigarettes (OR=۵.۰۸), only hookah (OR=۱۷.۷۱), only opium (OR=۳۱.۰۵), opium and hookah simultaneously (OR=۶۵.۸۱), opium and cigarettes simultaneously (OR=۷۷.۰۸) and cigarettes, hookah and opium simultaneously (OR=۱۱۰.۷۴) (p < ۰.۰۵).Conclusion: This study showed a significant and positive relationship between opium and tobacco consumption and GI cancers. Considering that cancer prevention is the most affordable strategy in controlling this disease, the present findings help prevent the disease through identifying some risk factors of GI cancers. It is recommended to conduct more detailed studies considering the pattern of smoking and other risk factors.

Keywords:

Gastrointestinal tract cancer , Hookah , Opium , Hormozgan