Postdiagnosis Smoking Cessation Improves Survival in Cancer Survivors
A study found that cancer survivors who quit smoking after diagnosis have improved overall survival rates.
Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, led by Dr. Steven Tohmasi, examined the link between smoking cessation and survival in 13,282 cancer patients.
Patients who reported currently smoking or having previously smoked had an increased risk for all-cause mortality compared with patients who never smoked.
- Adjusted hazard ratios were 1.35 for current smokers and 1.13 for former smokers.
- Only 22% of patients who smoked at their index visit quit smoking.
The study was published in the October issue of the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Author's summary: Quitting smoking after cancer diagnosis improves survival rates.