Quitting smoking boosts survival rates

Independent Nurse,
01 February 2010, 00:00am

Lung cancer patients' chances of surviving for five years after diagnosis doubles if they quit smoking, a study suggests.

The research suggests there is a strong case for offering smoking cessation treatment to patients with early stage lung cancer. It also supports the theory that continued smoking affects the behaviour of a lung tumour.

The review, conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, analysed 10 studies measuring the effect on prognosis of quitting smoking after diagnosis of lung cancer.

Compared with those who gave up smoking post-diagnosis, patients who continued to smoke had a substantially higher risk of death due to cancer progression.

Analysis showed a five-year survival rate of 63-70 per cent among quitters versus 29-33 per cent among those who continued to smoke.

- BMJ Online 2010.

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