Smoking Among Cancer Patients A Tricky Problem

New national guidelines are released so doctors can help more patients quit

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Though it can make medications less effective and increase the risk for recurrence, a surprising number of patients who are diagnosed with cancer continue to smoke. Dr. Peter Shields of Ohio State`s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute led a national committee that recently unveiled new guidelines designed to help cancer patients quit smoking. Details: http://bit.ly/1CaDwC9
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(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Doctors have been urging tobacco users to quit for decades, but it is an addiction so powerful that many are unable to kick the habit even after a cancer diagnosis. “Smoking among cancer patients is a huge issue. In fact, the number of people who have cancer and smoke is actually higher than the general population,” said Dr. Peter Shields, an oncologist at Ohio State’s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, and deputy director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

   Nationally, it’s estimated that 20 to 30 percent of cancer patients smoke, possibly as many as one in three. “In my practice, among my lung cancer patients, probably 50 percent are active smokers,” said Shields. “We knew we needed to do something about that.”

    Recently, Shields led a national panel of 25 top oncology experts from National Comprehensive Cancer Network member institutions who developed a new set of guidelines designed to help cancer patients quit smoking. “It’s a much bigger problem than people might imagine,” he said. “Hopefully, this raises awareness and gives doctors and nurses some useful ideas and resources to turn those numbers around.”

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Doctors say as many as one in three people continue to smoke after a cancer diagnosis. In an effort to help patients quit, a national panel has written new guidelines, led by Dr. Peter Shields of Ohio State`s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. To learn more about the guidelines and how they might help, click here: http://bit.ly/1CaDwC9

Though it can make medications less effective and increase the risk for recurrence, a surprising number of patients who are diagnosed with cancer continue to smoke. Dr. Peter Shields of Ohio State`s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute led a national committee that recently unveiled new guidelines designed to help cancer patients quit smoking. Details: http://bit.ly/1CaDwC9

Nurse Gretchen Whitby counsels a smoker on ways to quit at Ohio State`s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Doctors say an alarming number of cancer patients continue to smoke after their diagnosis, and more efforts need to be made to help them quit. New national guidelines have been released in an effort to help cancer patients kick the habit. Details: http://bit.ly/1CaDwC9

As many as one in three patients who are diagnosed with cancer continue to smoke. In an effort to help more of them quit, Dr. Peter Shields of Ohio State`s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute led a national panel to write and implement new guidelines for treatment and smoking cessation. To learn more about the problem and how these guidelines might help, click here: http://bit.ly/1CaDwC9

Nurse Gretchen Whitby explains the proper use of nicotine gum to a patient at Ohio State`s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Experts say an alarming number of patients who are diagnosed with cancer - as many as one in three - continue to smoke even after their diagnosis. To see why it`s so important to get them to quit at the time of diagnosis and how new, national guidelines could help, click here: http://bit.ly/1CaDwC9



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