44 O - Preventive oncology and nicotine addiction: a hypothesis

Nicotine dependence is important for preventive oncology, which is to be demonstrated by using the lung cancer model. High tar exposure is very much related to lung cancer risk. A mathematical model was developed in order to demonstrate the dose response relationship between tar exposure and lung cancer risk (Kunze, Vutuc; 1980). There is another relationship between lung cancer risk and nicotine dependence. Representative data on the epidemiology of nicotine dependence for Austria show a medium to very high nicotine dependence for 36% of the population, 64% had a modest dependence (using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence). First results from a field study with lung cancer patients indicate a high proportion of heavy dependent smokers in that group. This study will be the first of its kind to show a relationship between nicotine dependence and lung cancer risk.