Quitting Smoking After a Cancer Diagnosis? It’s Important To Seek Help

The Great American Smokeout is a nationwide campaign held on the third Thursday in November that encourages people to quit smoking. According to the surgeon general, continuing to smoke after being diagnosed with cancer increases risk of overall death by 50% and cancer-related death by 61%.

A study published in JAMA Oncology found clear evidence that quitting smoking at or following a cancer diagnosis improves survival across various types of cancer. The largest benefit was among patients who began a smoking cessation program within six months of diagnosis. The study found smoking cessation, regardless of when, was associated with improved survival. Quitting smoking at three months, six months and nine months after tobacco treatment onset reduced mortality across all cancer types by 26%, 22% and 16%, respectively.

The study highlights the importance of providing patients a structured smoking cessation program like the Tobacco Treatment Program at Moffitt Cancer Center. Lisa Sloan, tobacco treatment specialist, works with around 200 patients a month. “My job is to make quitting as comfortable as possible,” Sloan said.

Patients usually don’t seek out Sloan’s help on their own. She relies mostly on providers and specialists to have conversations with their patients about the importance of quitting.

Sloan designs a plan to help each patient based on their personal habits and needs and includes a combination of medicine and emotional support.

“Patients trying to quit smoking without medicine are not in a fair fight,” Sloan said. She explains to patients that using a nicotine replacement option is not the same as smoking a cigarette. “The nicotine patch design is 30 years old and in some cigarettes the nicotine dose is triple the nicotine of 30 years ago.”

Nicotine replacement therapy is designed to help ease someone’s withdrawals and cravings when they quit. It sends less nicotine to your brain and delivers it at a much slower rate compared to cigarettes. In addition, patients using nicotine replacement therapy avoid inhaling tar and toxic chemicals that come from cigarette smoke.

Along with providing support resources, Moffitt’s tobacco treatment program puts a vast emphasis on education within the community. Sue Ulsheimer-Seney is a tobacco treatment specialist who works with Moffitt’s Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity DepartmentCommunity Outreach, Engagement, and Equity Office. When she talks to community members or patients, she emphasizes how much smoking can impact your overall health.

“We lead with a compassionate, engaging and educational interaction, which we hope will draw more people to be responsive,” Ulsheimer-Seney said.

Eliminating smoking lowers blood pressure, improves lung function and normalizes the carbon monoxide level in your blood. It also reduces the risk of developing several types of cancer including lung, throat, esophagus, pancreas and bladder.

Patients looking for help can reach out to TobaccoTreatment@Moffitt.org. Tobacco Free Florida is another resource for those in need.