Risk assessment of Gastrointestinal cancer in hookah and opium users

Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers prevail in Iran. The existing literature shows the relationship between tobacco and opium consumption and the incidence of this type of cancer. Yet, there is scarce research on the effect of simultaneous consumption of these Substances on cancers, especially GI cancers. Therefore, the present study aimed to test the relationship between hookah and opium smoking and the effects of their simultaneous use on GI cancers in Minab city in Hormozgan province.Materials and methods: The present case-control study was conducted on 60 cases (patients with GI cancers) and 120 controls (healthy residents) of Minab, a city in Hormozgan province. In this study, chi-square and Fisher's exact tests 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 consumption and GI cancers as the main outcome.Findings: The mean ± standard deviation of participants’ age was 55.58 ± 12.80 (R = 30-81) in the control group and 56.22 ± 13.88 (R = 30-90) in the case group. The prevalence of opium, cigarette, and hookah consumption in the case group was 55%, 40%, and 65%, respectively. In the control group, it was 4.2%, 10%, and9.2%, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p <0.001). 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=5.08), only hookah (OR=17.71), only opium (OR=31.05), opium and hookah simultaneously (OR=65.81), opium and cigarettes simultaneously (OR=77.08) and cigarettes, hookah and opium simultaneously (OR=110.74) (p < 0.05).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.

Risk assessment of Gastrointestinal cancer in hookah and opium users Keywords:

Gastrointestinal tract cancer , Hookah , Opium , Hormozgan