Smoking can be Most Painful for Cancer Patients

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NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com) — A new study has revealed that cancer affected smokers who continue to smoke even after their diagnosis experience greater pain than non-smokers.

The research was carried on at at Texas A and M University which suggested that smoking is associated with severe pain in cancer patients.

In their cross-sectional study, investigators surveyed 224 patients with a range of cancer diagnoses.

Patients completed self-report measures of pain severity, pain-related distress, and pain-related interference, as well as a demographics questionnaire.

Patients were asked to rate their perceived severity of bodily pain and the degree to which pain interfered with their daily routine.

Current smokers experienced more severe pain than never smokers, and also reported more interference from pain than either never smokers or former smokers.

Among former smokers, there was an inverse relation between pain and the number of years since quitting, suggesting that quitting smoking may reduce pain over time.