Quitting smoking after lung cancer diagnosis greatly improves survival

According to an Italian study published in Le Journal of Thoracic Oncology[1], stopping smoking as quickly as possible after a diagnosis of lung cancer (but also at any stage of the disease) is associated with an improvement in overall survival of around 30%, compared to patients who have not stopped smoking.

This meta-analysis included 21 studies published between 1980 and 2021, covering a total of more than 10,000 patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Regardless of the type of lung cancer (non-small cell or small cell), smoking cessation, at or just after diagnosis, was associated with improved overall survival in 29%, compared to patients who continued to smoke.

Smoking cessation should be part of lung cancer treatment

According to the study authors, several phenomena can explain this observation: Tobacco smoke promotes the growth, progression and spread of tumors, it reduces the effectiveness and tolerance of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and increases the risk of postoperative complications.

Researchers recommend that treating physicians educate their lung cancer patients about the benefits of quitting smoking and provide them with the necessary support to quit.

Smoking, the most important risk factor for lung cancer

According to GLOBOCAN[2], lung cancer ranks second worldwide in terms of cancer incidence, with more than 2.2 million new cases estimated in 2020, and first in terms of mortality, with approximately 1.8 million deaths. Smoking is by far the most important risk factor for the occurrence of this type of cancer, with 80 to 85% of these attributable to tobacco use. Despite continued improvements in treatment modalities, the prognosis for lung cancer patients remains poor with a 5-year relative survival rate of around 25% for non-small cell lung cancers and 7% for small cell lung cancers, according to the American Cancer Society[3].

Keywords: lung cancer, smoking, cessation

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[1] Caini S, Del Riccio M, Vettori V, Scotti V, Martinoli C, Raimondi S, Cammarata G, Palli D, Banini M, Masala G, Gandini S, Quitting smoking at or around diagnosis improves the overall survival of lung cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Journal of Thoracic Oncology (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2021.12.005.

[2] GLOBOCAN 2020. Lung Cancer Fact Sheet, 2020, accessed January 7, 2021

[3] American Cancer Society. Lung Cancer Survival Rates, updated January 29, 2021, accessed January 7, 2022