Quitting Smoking After Cancer Diagnosis Significantly Boosts Survival

Smokers who are told they have cancer often find it difficult to quit, despite their diagnosis. But a new study finds quitting can significantly improve survival outcomes.

Researchers followed more than 45-hundred smokers who had been diagnosed with cancer and were receiving smoking cessation treatment.

The results showed patients were 22% - 26% less likely to die if they quit within months of their diagnosis. The best outcomes occurred in those who stopped smoking within 6 months and were still cigarette-free three months later.

Survival for smokers who successfully abstained increased from about two years to almost four years.

The lead investigator says, "Our research underscores the critical role of early smoking cessation as a key clinical intervention for patients undergoing cancer treatment." 

Source: JAMA Oncology

Author Affiliations: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center