Lung cancer diagnosis does not make one in five patients stop smoking

Lung cancer diagnosis does not make one in five patients stop smoking

Lung cancer patients tend to quit smoking after receiving their diagnosis. But a study by the U.S. National Cancer Institute says that a substantial number -- at least 18 percent -- still continue to smoke even after learning that they have cancer.

The researchers led by Kathryn E. Weaver of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center said that many in this group consider their cases hopeless and do not bother to kick the habit.

"The biggest obstacle is fatalism, the belief that it is too late to quit smoking so why bother," she said. "There are benefits to be gained by quitting that have important implications for survival, response to treatments, and quality of life."

Authors of the lung cancer study, published in a recent issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, called for increased counseling and family support for patients.

What is also alarming is that a higher proportion -- 25 percent -- of the caregivers of lung cancer patients still continue to smoke even after their family member or spouse gets diagnosed.

The researchers warn that continued smoking can significantly increase the risk of additional cancers. It can also result to loss of appetite, cough, fatigue and sleep problems.

Another serious condition often accompanied by lung cancer is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which causes breathing problems and greatly affects quality of life.

Health care professionals must take advantage of the period after diagnosis to teach patients about the dangers of continued smoking after their diagnosis of lung cancer.

Posted by George Daniels on Monday April 11 2011, 5:49 AM EDT. Ref: HealthDay. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0