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Oncology Patient Smoking Cessation Treatment Preferences: Perceptions Across Former and Current Cigarette Smokers

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Abstract

Although the benefits of smoking cessation following a cancer diagnosis have been well-established, up to 50% of cancer patients continue to smoke. Continued smoking through oncology treatment leads to increased risk of adverse events including reduced effectiveness of treatment, recurrence of additional malignancies, and reduced survival rates. Upon the cancer diagnosis, oncology healthcare providers become the primary trusted source of information and support, which represents a great opportunity to assist these patients to quit smoking. However, it remains unclear how oncology healthcare providers can best address smoking cessation from a patient-centered perspective. The present study surveyed oncology patients from Birmingham, AL, classified as either former (n = 174) or current smokers (n = 81) to identify their perceptions regarding the role of oncology healthcare providers in their smoking cessation efforts. Current smokers were more likely to be younger, received their cancer diagnosis within the past 3 years, and have a cancer diagnosis with high smoking-related public awareness (i.e., head, neck, or lung) compared to former smokers. Additionally, 81% of current smokers reported experiencing smoking cessation discussions with their oncology healthcare providers with the most prominent recommendations being use of nicotine replacement therapies (46.9%) and medication (35.8%). These smoking cessation experiences align with patient preferences. However, despite the frequency of smoking cessation discussions, current smokers demonstrated an ambivalence in understanding the risks of continued smoking during their medical treatment. Overall, this study highlights the important role of oncology healthcare providers on implementing smoking cessation intervention for their patients who continue to smoke.

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Funding

This project was funded through the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Samantha Schiavon & Sofia Mildrum Chana

  2. School of Medicine, University of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Elizabeth Davies

  3. Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Isabel C. Scarinci

  4. Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Center for Research On Healthcare, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Jessica S. Merlin

  5. Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Jori May

  6. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama At Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd., Volker Hall, Suite L107, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

    Karen L. Cropsey

Authors
  1. Samantha Schiavon
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  2. Elizabeth Davies
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  3. Sofia Mildrum Chana
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  4. Isabel C. Scarinci
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  5. Jessica S. Merlin
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  6. Jori May
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  7. Karen L. Cropsey
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen L. Cropsey.

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All procedures were previously approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to study procedures.

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Not applicable.

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All authors declare no competing interests

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Schiavon, S., Davies, E., Mildrum Chana, S. et al. Oncology Patient Smoking Cessation Treatment Preferences: Perceptions Across Former and Current Cigarette Smokers. J Canc Educ 37, 1975–1981 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02068-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-021-02068-1

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