Medical students' aptitude toward smoking in Warsaw, Strasbourg and Teheran.

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death in the world. Medical students play a role in smoking prevention especially as future physicians, but also as role models in society. Their approach, although influenced by medical education, is based on cultural and socio-economic background. The aim of this study was to analyze smoking habits, prevalence and attitudes towards smoking cessation in medical students from three different countries: Poland, France and Iran. A questionnaire on tobacco smoking was distributed among medical students from three Medical Universities: in Warsaw, Strasbourg and Teheran. The study population consisted of 1,036 students: 499 from Poland, 367 from France and 170 from Iran. The percentage of smokers among medical students was 14% in Warsaw, 14.4% in Strasbourg and 3.5% in Teheran. The prevalence of ex-smokers was 13.6%, 18%, and 1.2% respectively. The use of nicotine replacement therapy or pharmacological aid in smoking cessation was 9% in Warsaw, 7% in Strasbourg, and none in Teheran. In Strasbourg students willing to choose surgical specialization were more likely to be smoking with OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.4-5.0). Never-smokers were more likely than actual smokers to discourage their friends and family from smoking. In Warsaw OR was 3.8 (95% CI 2.0-7.2), in Strasbourg 6.2 (2.6-14.4) and 7.2 (1.0-82.6) in Teheran. In conclusion, similarities in smoking prevalence and attitudes between medical students in Warsaw and Strasbourg were observed, while in Teheran the percentage of smokers reported was much lower. Pharmacological aid or nicotine replacement therapy in smoking cessation was rarely used among medical students.

Urothelial bladder carcinoma in young patients is characterized by a relatively good prognosis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) is a very rare condition in patients aged below 50 years. The aim of the study was to answer the question whether the characteristics of cancer in this group of patients differ from general UBC features. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Altogether 2160 patients treated with primary transurethral resection due to a bladder tumor were included in the study. The mean age of the cohort was 69.1 years (range 11-100). Patients were divided into three subgroups depending on age: age <41 years (group 1), age 41-50 years (group 2), age >50 years (group 3). Sex ratio, tumor grade, and stage of disease were recorded. RESULTS: Women constituted 18.5%, 19.2%, and 25.8% of the patients in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < 0.05). WHO grade 3 tumors were diagnosed in 0%, 8.5%, and 17.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). Non-invasive papillary carcinoma was found in 100.0%, 76.7%, and 62.7%, respectively (P < 0.05). The incidence of muscle-invasive bladder cancer was 0%, 11.0%, and 15.6%, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pathological characteristics of UBC are dependent on the patients' age. Being a very rare condition, UBC in young patients is characterized by a relatively good prognosis.