Increased Success When Smoking Cessation Is Attempted at Time of Cancer Diagnosis

Researchers suggest smoking cessation assistance be implemented both prior to and following surgery

Lung and head and neck cancer patients who quit smoking prior to surgery are less likely to relapse than those who continue to smoke before surgery, researchers say. According to a study published in a recent issue of the journal Cancer, smoking-relapse prevention interventions are needed immediately after surgery to help patients abstain from smoking.

“Cigarette smoking is responsible for 30% of all cancer-related mortalities,” said study corresponding author Vani Nath Simmons, PhD, assistant member of the Health Outcomes and Behavior Program at Moffitt Cancer Center. “However, little attention has been paid to looking at how successful patients are at quitting and what predicts who is likely to resume smoking. This is particularly a concern for cancer patients because continued smoking can be related to cancer recurrence, cancer treatment complications, second primary tumors and poorer quality of life.”

In an effort to test potential predictors of smoking relapse, researchers observed smoking habits among lung and head and neck cancer patients for 12 months following surgery. Study participants were recruited from clinics at Moffitt and had either quit smoking shortly before or immediately after surgery. At 2, 4, 6, and 12 months after surgery, smoking behaviors were evaluated.

“We found that relapse rates varied significantly depending on a patient’s pre-surgery smoking status,” Simmons explained. “Sixty percent of patients who smoked during the week prior to surgery resumed smoking afterward, contrasted with a 13% relapse rate for those who had quit smoking prior to surgery.”

Factors predicting a smoking relapse included high fears regarding cancer recurrence, greater predisposition to depression, and a lack of personal belief in the ability to quit smoking.

Study results show that smoking cessation should be encouraged upon cancer diagnosis, especially given the significantly lower relapse rates among those who quit smoking prior to surgery. Furthermore, researchers recommend that smoking cessation assistance be implemented both before and after surgery, since most relapses occurred shortly after surgery.

“Cancer patients are highly motivated to quit, so receiving a cancer diagnosis can be viewed as a ‘teachable moment’ for delivering smoking cessation and relapse prevention interventions,” said study coauthor Thomas H. Brandon, PhD, director of the Tobacco Research and Intervention Program at Moffitt.

Source: Moffitt Cancer Center.