Role of cigarette filter on the risk of oral cancer: a case-control study in a Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the role of cigarette filter on the incidence risk of oral squamous cell cancer among male smokers in a Chinese population.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

A multicentric hospital-based case-control study was applied. Three hundred and nineteen male cases and 428 male controls matching for age ( ± 3 years) were identified from January 2008 to December 2010. Detailed smoking histories were obtained by interviews. Logistic regression model was used to compare the influence of filter and non-filter cigarettes on oral cancer risk.

RESULTS

The adjusted odd ratios (ORs) for oral cancer were 1.30 (95% CI 1.15, 1.48) of filter cigarette smokers, 2.06 (95% CI 1.17, 3.62) of non-filter cigarette smokers, and 1.73 (95% CI 1.33, 2.25) of mixed smokers, as compared with non-smokers. When classified current smokers according to smoking pack year, the ORs of mixed smokers were 2.27 (95% CI 1.06, 4.85) in <20 pack year, 0.81 (95% CI 0.57, 1.14) in 20-39 pack year, and 0.86 (95% CI 0.57, 1.29) in ≥ 40 pack year, as compared to filter cigarette smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

The protective effect against oral cancer of cigarette filter was limited, restricted to smokers of small amount of smoking accumulation. For most smokers, the difference was non-significant between filter and non-filter cigarettes on the risk of developing oral cancer.