Care for Smoking Cessation Must Be Proactive and Based on a Combination of Pharmacology and Psychology

Abstract

This letter to the editor comments on a recently published article calling for more effective smoking cessation methods for cancer patients and suggests that smoking cessation must be a priority for all, not just for patients with cancer.

RE: Low-Dose Aspirin in High-Risk Individuals With Screen-Detected Subsolid Lung Nodules: A Randomized Phase II Trial

“…Smoking cessation is an important factor in clinical outcomes (cancer treatment effectiveness, overall survival, recurrence, risk of second primary malignancies, and quality of life). Could Bonanni and colleagues provide information about the percentage of current smokers who benefited from a proactive smoking cessation program (motivational interview and psychological support by trained professionals plus pharmacotherapy associating patches with oral “rescue”), formulations of nicotine (ie, sprays and lozenges) to suppress occasional cravings, “the belt and brace strategy” ( 3 ), and about the percentage of current smokers who quit at the end of the 1-year follow-up?…”