Press Release
Jan 04, 2022
Chris Martin | IASLC Media Relations | cmartin@davidjamesgroup.com
(Denver, Colo—10 a.m. Eastern; Jan 4, 2022) Patients with lung cancer who quit smoking after their diagnosis have a 29 percent improvement in their overall survival compared to patients who continue smoking after diagnosis, according to a study published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the official journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Access the study here: https://www.jto.org/article/S1556-0864(21)03404-3/fulltext
Researchers led by Dr. Saverio Caini from the Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network in Florence, Italy, summarized the current scientific evidence on whether quitting smoking at or around diagnosis has a beneficial effect on the survival of patients with lung cancer.
Dr. Caini and his team conducted a meta-analysis of published research on smoking cessation after lung cancer diagnosis and found 21 articles covering more than 10,000 patients, published between before October 2021.
The researchers found that smoking cessation after diagnosis was significantly associated with improved overall survival (SRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.64-0.80), consistently among patients with non-small cell LC (SRR 0.77, 95% CI 0.66-0.90, n studies = 8), small cell LC (SRR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57-0.99, n studies = 4), or lung cancer of both or unspecified histological type (SRR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.96, n studies = 6).
“Our study suggests that treating physicians should educate patients with lung cancer patients about the benefits of quitting smoking even after diagnosis and provide them with the necessary smoking cessation support,” said Dr. Caini.
Smoking cessation may play a positive role in lung cancer survival because tobacco smoke promotes tumor growth, progression, and dissemination; decreases the efficacy of, and tolerance to, radiation and systemic therapy; and increases the risk of post-operative complications and second primary cancers, according to the study.
“The meta-analysis has implications beyond clinical practice,” Dr. Caini said. “Since heavy smokers would be primarily targeted by lung cancer screening programs, screening could serve as a teachable moment to help participants quit smoking by integrating a structured cessation program into the screening activities.”
About the IASLC
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 7,500 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.
About the JTO
Journal of Thoracic Oncology (JTO), the official journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, is the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. JTO emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach and includes original research reviews and opinion pieces. The audience includes epidemiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, thoracic surgeons, pulmonologists, radiologists, pathologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and research scientists with a special interest in thoracic oncology.