Video: It’s never too late to quit smoking, even after a cancer diagnosis!

World No Tobacco Day is a crucial reminder of the devastating impact of smoking on health. But what about people who are active smokers and have already been diagnosed with cancer?

In a new video, Dr Mahdi Sheikh, a scientist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), presents good news revealed by a recent study on the benefits of quitting smoking for patients diagnosed with kidney cancer: quitting smoking after diagnosis reduced the risk of death and cancer progression by half.

This is in addition to previous research that showed the benefits of quitting smoking for patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Fewer than half of patients with cancer who smoke are referred to tobacco cessation services. Many physicians do not even discuss smoking cessation with their patients. However, it is important for patients to know that it is never too late to quit smoking. Even after a cancer diagnosis, patients with cancer may be able to improve their cancer outcomes by quitting smoking.

Watch the video

Read the article “Postdiagnosis smoking cessation and reduced risk for lung cancer progression and mortality: a prospective cohort study”

Read the article “Smoking cessation after diagnosis of kidney cancer is associated with reduced risk of mortality and cancer progression: a prospective cohort study”