Predictors of smoking cessation among cancer patients enrolled in a smoking cessation program

Abstract

Many cancer patients continue to smoke postdiagnosis, which is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Identifying prospective predictors of smoking cessation among patients currently receiving smoking cessation treatment can help guide the development and implementation of smoking cessation programs with this population. Material and methods. Data from 246 cancer patients participating in a randomized placebo-controlled smoking cessation clinical trial were used to examine baseline predictors of end-of-treatment and six-month postbaseline smoking cessation outcomes. Baseline demographic, smoking-related, disease-related, and psychological variables were examined as predictors of biochemically-confirmed point-prevalence abstinence. Results. Multivariate analysis indicated that, for end-of-treatment abstinence, patients were significantly more likely to have quit smoking if they were older (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03–1.10, p < 0.05) and were diagnosed with a non-tobacco related cancer (OR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.24–5.20, p < 0.05). Likewise, for six-month abstinence, patients were significantly more likely to have quit smoking if they were older (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01–1.08, p < 0.05) and were significantly less likely to have quit smoking if they were female (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.22–0.97, p < 0.05). Patients with tobacco-related cancers and female patients reported significantly higher levels of depression symptoms (p < 0.05), which proved predictive of smoking relapse. Conclusions. Patient age, gender, and cancer-type may be important factors to consider when developing and implementing smoking cessation interventions for cancer patients.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ms. Jeanne Pomenti for assisting with the preparation of this manuscript. This study was funded by grant R01 CA95678 from the National Cancer Institute. Transdermal nicotine patches were provided free-of-charge by GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Schnoll serves as a consultant to GlaxoSmithKline, one of several companies that manufactures the transdermal nicotine patch.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.