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Hot from ESMO – Predicting which patients will quit smoking

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Self-motivation techniques have been assessed by the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Cancer Centre to help patients quit smoking.

Dr Ian Olver from RAH presented the results of the study to delegates at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) last weekend. He reported that strategies to help patients quit smoking should start as soon as possible after diagnosis of cancer, when patients are most responsive.

This study involved 384 patients recently diagnosed with cancer. Patients (and their families) received either a series of telephone and personal counseling sessions along with nicotine support if required, or they were advised to stop using the standard anti-smoking information available.

Several significant factors that contributed to whether cancer patients would give up smoking were identified. Patients who were more likely to give up smoking had smoking related cancers such as lung, head and neck or bladder cancer. Successful patients were more likely to have attempted to quit within the previous 12 month and were less likely to have had radiotherapy and surgery.

‘The results were surprising and somewhat disappointing,’ said Dr Olver. ‘However, we gained some valuable information that will help us develop new programmes to help people quit. Our findings stress the need to offer different strategies tailor-made to the individual, as far as possible,’ he said.

Many patients believe that once they have been diagnosed with cancer, it is beyond the point at which giving up smoking can make any difference. ‘That is just not true. It is never too late to stop. Quitting smoking can improve your outcome, even after diagnosis,’ Dr Olver emphasised to patients.

(Source: ESMO Press release & Omnus Oncology)



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Dates

Posted On: 23 October, 2002
Modified On: 3 December, 2013

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