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Smoking cessation and lung cancer resection
C M Dresler1, M Bailey, C R Roper
1Section of General Thoracic Surgen, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, USA.
Chest
|November 1, 1996
Summary
Many lung cancer patients quit smoking before surgery, with most remaining non-smokers long-term. Those who don't quit before surgery face a higher risk of continued smoking post-operation.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Oncology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer.
- Surgical intervention for lung cancer often involves thoracotomy.
- Smoking cessation is encouraged for patients undergoing lung cancer surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the rate of smoking cessation before thoracotomy for lung cancer resection.
- To determine the rate of smoking recidivism after surgery.
- To identify factors influencing long-term smoking cessation in these patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, longitudinal study design.
- Inclusion of patients presenting to a General Thoracic Clinic for pulmonary malignancy resection.
- Follow-up of 362 patients (95% with smoking history) for an average of 17.5 months.
Main Results:
- 42% of patients quit smoking over a year before surgery; 19% continued smoking up to surgery.
- Postoperatively, 86% of previously smoking patients were non-smokers.
- 13% of patients resumed smoking, with 61% of these having never quit preoperatively.
Conclusions:
- Long-term smoking cessation is achievable for a significant portion of lung cancer patients post-resection.
- Preoperative duration of smoking cessation positively correlates with postoperative abstinence.
- Patients not quitting preoperatively are at substantial risk for continued smoking post-surgery.