Multicenter study of survival impact of quitting smoking after a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer

Smoking at diagnosis is associated with worse survival in lung cancer, but the effects of quitting smoking on survival are not known. An observational study in the UK included 646 current smokers at NSCLC diagnosis. Patients were advised to quit smoking. Smoking status during follow-up was verified by exhaled carbon monoxide levels. Median survival times were 659 days for quitters and 348 days for continuers. In multivariate analysis the hazard ratio for quitting at diagnosis was 0.75 (95% CI 0.58-0.98). The authors conclude that quitting smoking at NSCLC diagnosis was associated with significantly improved. Survival.