Smoking is by far the leading cause of cancer in the UK, with lung cancer being the most common tobacco-related cancer. New meta-analysis from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer has found that quitting smoking, or making the switch from smoking to vaping, upon receiving a diagnosis of lung cancer is linked to improved survival rates.
29% improvement in overall survival rates
Dr Caini, of the Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network in Florence, and his team have reviewed and summarised the current scientific evidence on whether quitting smoking at or around the time of diagnosis has a beneficial effect on the overall survival of lung cancer patients.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, has found that patients with lung cancer who quit smoking around the time of receiving their diagnosis have a 29% improvement in their chance of survival compared to those who continue to smoke.
Tobacco smoke promotes tumour growth, progression, and dissemination, and can also decrease the efficacy of and tolerance to radiation and systemic therapy. Not only this but it can also increase the risk of complications post-surgery and of developing a second primary cancer.
It is never too late to quit smoking
Speaking on the implications of these findings, Dr Caini stated:
“Our study suggests that treating physicians should educate patients with lung cancer about the benefits of quitting smoking even after diagnosis and provide them with the necessary smoking cessation support.”
Similar improvement was observed among mild, moderate, and heavy smokers, and for patients with both early and later stage cancer, showing it is never too late to quit smoking to improve your health outcomes.
This analysis reinforces previous findings that the body can begin to heal when you quit smoking, no matter how long you have smoked or how heavily you smoked. A previous study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and University College London found that quitting smoking can actually awaken dormant cells within the lining of the airway which have not been damaged, and can then multiply to replace damaged cells.
Quitting smoking is never an easy task, but the findings from this analysis mean that even after a cancer diagnosis, smokers can still improve their chances of a recovery by kicking the habit. There are now more resources for stop smoking support than ever, and smoking cessation aids like e-cigarettes are proven to be both effective and less harmful than smoking, while still keeping nicotine cravings at bay.
If you are considering making the switch from smoking to vaping, pop in to your local Evapo store and speak to our team, or reach out to our online customer service team, for advice, support, and to get answers to any questions you may have.
At a glance
- Patients with lung cancer who quit smoking around the time of receiving their diagnosis have a 29% improvement in their chance of survival compared to those who continue to smoke
- Tobacco smoke promotes tumour growth, progression, and dissemination, can decrease the efficacy of and tolerance to radiation and systemic therapy, and increase the risk of complications post-surgery
- “Treating physicians should educate patients with lung cancer about the benefits of quitting smoking… and provide them with the necessary smoking cessation support.” (Dr Caini, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network in Florence)
Sources
Journal of Thoracic Oncology 04/01/2022
ascopost.com 05/01/2022
nature.com 29/01/2020
sanger.ac.uk 29/01/2020
onlinelibrary.wiley.com 29/06/2021
