Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Nov 5: A new study published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has revealed that quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis significantly improves overall survival — even for patients with advanced-stage disease.

The findings come decades after the US government first acknowledged the health dangers of smoking. The Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 made it mandatory for cigarette packs to carry health warnings, followed by the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act, which linked smoking to specific diseases such as lung cancer. Later, the 1985 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act required graphic health warnings on cigarette labels, reinforcing the known risks of tobacco use.

Despite this longstanding awareness, researchers note that smoking cessation programs are still not widely implemented in oncology care due to time and resource limitations. As a result, the long-term benefits of quitting smoking after cancer diagnosis have remained underexplored.

To address this, researchers studied more than 13,000 cancer patients, assessing smoking behavior over a six-month period. Nearly half (49.5%) of the participants were non-smokers, while 13% identified as current smokers and 37.6% as past smokers. Both current and former smokers showed a higher risk of mortality compared to non-smokers.

Among the 1,725 current smokers, 22.1% (381 individuals) quit smoking within six months. Those who successfully quit had a significantly lower risk of mortality than those who continued smoking. Notably, the survival benefit extended beyond early-stage cancer and was observed even among patients with advanced (Stage III or IV) disease.

The researchers concluded that smoking cessation following a cancer diagnosis can meaningfully improve overall survival rates, regardless of cancer stage.

Experts say the study underscores the urgent need to integrate evidence-based tobacco cessation programs into routine cancer care. Providing these services to all cancer patients could significantly improve survivorship outcomes and quality of life.

The findings, they say, should serve as a strong motivator for health systems to prioritize cessation support — ensuring that no cancer patient faces the battle against disease while still burdened by tobacco addiction.