Interest in Cessation Treatment Among People Who Smoke in a Community-Based Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program

Abstract Introduction To assess the need for tobacco cessation services within a multidisciplinary clinic (MDC), we surveyed patients about their smoking status, interest in quitting, and willingness to participate in a clinic-based cessation program. We further assessed the association between interest in cessation or willingness to participate in a cessation program with overall survival (OS). Methods From 2014 to 2019, all new lung cancer patients in the MDC at Baptist Cancer Center, Memphis, TN were administered a social history questionnaire to evaluate their demographic characteristics, smoking status, tobacco dependence, interest in quitting, and willingness to participate in a cessation program. We used Chi-square tests and logistic regression to compare characteristics of those who would participate to those who would not/were unsure; Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression to evaluate the association between cessation interest/willingness to quit and OS. Results Of 641 total respondents, the average age was 69 years (range: 32-95), 47% were men, 64% white, 34% black, and 17% college graduates. Ninety percent had ever smoked: 34% currently, 25% quit within the past year. Among current smokers, 60% were very interested in quitting and 37% would participate in a cessation program. Willingness to participate in a cessation program was associated with greater interest in quitting (p Conclusion Lung cancer patients in an MDC expressed considerable interest in tobacco cessation services; patients willing to participate in a clinic-based cessation program showed improved survival.