Study: Cancer Patients Who quit Smoking May Live Nearly a Year Longer
SEATTLE, WA – A new study reveals that quitting smoking, even after a cancer diagnosis, can substantially extend survival time, particularly for patients with advanced disease. Researchers at the University of Washington School of medicine and the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish hospital found that cancer patients who successfully quit smoking lived on average 330 days longer than those who continued to smoke.
The research, analyzing data from 13,282 cancer patients undergoing outpatient treatment between june and December 2018, demonstrates a clear benefit to cessation at any stage of the disease. While the positive impact was observed across all cancer types and stages, the effect was most pronounced for patients with stage 3 and 4 cancers.For these individuals, 85% of those who continued smoking survived 210 days after their first treatment, compared to 85% of those who quit, surviving to 540 days - nearly a year longer.
Of the 1,725 smokers in the study,381 (22.1%) quit within six months. Over the following two years, the survival rate was 85.1% in the non-smoking group versus 74.7% in the smoking group, representing a 10.4 percentage point enhancement. The study documented 75 deaths (19.7%) in the non-smoking group and 347 deaths (25.8%) in the smoking group.
“A year is a long time for terminal cancer patients,” said Dr. Stephen Tomasi,the study’s first author. “The results of this study will give them hope and increase their willingness to quit smoking.”
The findings underscore the importance of integrating smoking cessation programs into cancer care, even for those already undergoing treatment. The research team utilized a program implemented by the University of Washington and Siteman Cancer Center to track patient outcomes.
