Smoking after overcoming lung cancer significantly increases the risk of a second tumor.
MADRID, 13 (EUROPA PRESS)
Lung cancer patients treated with immunotherapy and targeted therapy had a significantly lower incidence of developing second primary cancers, according to a study led by the Spanish Lung Cancer Group (GECP). Patients with a history of smoking also had a 60% higher risk of developing a second tumor, and those who continued smoking also showed a significantly higher risk.
The study, published Wednesday in The Lancet, advocates for strengthening cancer follow-up and promoting interventions to address modifiable risk factors, which are essential for optimizing long-term outcomes in lung cancer survivors.
This study, one of the largest conducted in Europe, is based on data from the Spanish Registry of Thoracic Tumors (RTT) of the GECP and includes an analysis of 20,574 patients diagnosed with lung cancer between August 2016 and March 2023. All participants had recovered from their initial lung cancer and were in active follow-up.
As Dr. Mariano Provencio, president of the GECP and lead author of the study, explains, "Thanks to advances in lung cancer treatment, more patients are surviving, but when they receive treatment, they also face the risk of developing a second primary tumor, a rare complication that is becoming more important as survival rates increase."
IMMUNOTHERAPY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A 53% REDUCTION
GECP researchers followed patients for a mean period of three years (41.2 months). During this period, the development of a second primary cancer was detected in 480 patients, representing 2.3% of the total analyzed. The incidence was higher among those who had received chemotherapy, with 2.9% of cases, compared to 2.1% in patients treated with immunotherapy and 1.5% in those who received targeted therapies.
The statistical analysis also showed that immunotherapy was associated with a 53% reduction in the risk of developing a second tumor, while targeted therapies reduced it by 30%. "These results undoubtedly point to a potential significant advantage of more innovative treatments in terms of long-term prevention," explains Dr. Provencio.
"WE ACHIEVE THAT OUR PATIENTS SURVIVE LONGER"
The study also identified other factors that influence the development of a second cancer. Smoking stands out among them: patients with a history of tobacco use had a 60% higher risk, and those who continued to smoke during follow-up also showed a significantly increased risk.
For Dr. Mariano Provencio, this study highlights a paradoxical effect: "It is, perhaps, the price of success. We achieve longer survival rates for our patients, but we face long-term effects. This tells us that we need to improve the follow-up of these patients over time and address modifiable risk factors such as smoking, promoting cessation."
For GECP researchers, these findings should be incorporated into future clinical strategies and follow-up programs for lung cancer survivors, a growing group of patients thanks to therapeutic advances.
