Reviewing the evidence on the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions

Smoking cessation is of great health benefit to cancer patients and the diagnosis of cancer presents an opportunity to encourage cessation. There is limited evidence on the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions in cancer patients. In the absence of specific studies, interventions that have been shown to be effective in the general population should be offered to patients with cancer. They include: • health professional advice to quit; • referral to telephone help lines; • individual counselling, group counselling and computerized quit support; and • smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. Combining some form of counselling support with pharmacotherapy is a commonly used and evidence-based approach. The evidence on interventions specifically designed for patients with cancer suggests that more intensive interventions, offered over a number of sessions by a health professional such as a nurse or a peer counsellor, can be effective. Interventions are most effective when smoking cessation pharmacotherapy is also provided.