United States: To be a smoker and receive a cancer diagnosis is not something that makes patients stop immediately; on the contrary, they will continue, thinking that a few more cigarettes here or there will not really matter.
They are very wrong according to a new study.
Significant Survival Benefits from Quitting Early
The study determined that smokers are between 22 percent and 26 percent less likely to die if they quit smoking after being diagnosed with the disease, as reported by HealthDay.
Doctors determined that the best results were observed in smokers who stopped within six months after the diagnosis of cancer and who did not use the butts for at least three months, said in the Journal of Medical Oncology Oct. 31.
Calls for Improved Smoking Cessation Support
“While smoking cessation is widely promoted across cancer centers for cancer prevention, it remains under-addressed by many oncologists in their routine care,” said principal investigator Paul Cinciripini, chair of behavioral science and executive director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“Our research underscores the critical role of early smoking cessation as a key clinical intervention for patients undergoing cancer treatment,” Cinciripini added in an MD Anderson news release.
Study Findings and Survival Statistics
In the study, more than 4,500 smokers were tracked by researchers; all had cancer and were participants in a quit-smoking program at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. This happened as a result of the fact that almost all the quit support was delivered through telemedicine.
A study conducted on smokers showed an average survival of four years for patients who were able to stop smoking, while the rest of the patients who continued smoking had an average of two years.
A Call to Action for Healthcare Providers
“This is a call to action for experts, regulatory bodies, and institutions to prioritize smoking cessation as an integral part of first-line cancer care,” Cinciripini said.
For those who can avoid tobacco, quitting smoking can result in a longer lifespan and a higher quality of life, according to Cinciripini, as reported by HealthDay.
“The earlier the engagement in tobacco cessation treatment, the greater impact on a patient’s lifespan,” he said.
