A new study has revealed that cancer patients who quit smoking after diagnosis can significantly extend their lifespan.
The Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University conducted research on more than 13,000 patients between June and December 2018.
According to the research findings, patients who quit smoking lived on average more than one year longer.
Senior researcher Dr. Li-Shiun Chen stated that it is never too late to quit smoking, emphasizing that no one is too sick to stop using tobacco.
Experts said quitting smoking doubles the chances of survival for cancer patients, even for those in the final stages of the disease.
Researchers noted that quitting smoking is considered an essential part of cancer treatment and is regarded as the fourth pillar of therapy after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
According to experts, 20% of patients quit smoking within six months of starting treatment, while those who continued smoking during therapy had twice the risk of death.
Researcher Dr. Steven Tuomassi stated that for cancer patients, quitting smoking or making lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of death even more effectively than chemotherapy.
