Break the Habit, Boost Survival: How Rapid Smoking Cessation Can Add Years to a Cancer Patient’s Life

【Health News】 Quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis can extend your lifespan.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, continuing to smoke after being diagnosed with cancer not only increases the likelihood of cancer progression or developing a smoking-related second primary cancer, but also increases all-cause mortality and cancer mortality, according to the Journal of Oncology. A paper was published in ‘JAMA Oncology’ stating that quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis can increase lifespan.

When comparing success in smoking cessation and mortality rates among 4,526 people who received smoking cessation treatment after a cancer diagnosis, those who succeeded in quitting smoking within 3 months of starting smoking cessation treatment had a 22-26% reduction in cancer-related mortality and 6 months after cancer diagnosis. People who started smoking cessation treatment and succeeded in quitting smoking within 3 months had a significantly lower mortality rate.

It has been found that approximately 480,000 people in the United States die every year from tobacco-related diseases, and that smoking is the main cause of various preventable diseases and deaths. The sooner you start smoking cessation treatment after a cancer diagnosis, the more likely you are to live longer. explains Paul Cinciripini, MD, of MD Anderson Cancer Center.

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center