Cancer survival doubled by quitting smoking, report finds

Smokers diagnosed with lung cancer who quit the habit early on in their treatment are twice as likely to survive, a report has shown.

Carried out by researchers at the University of Birmingham, the paper suggests that offering patients with cancer smoking cessation help is still effective.

The study indicated that people who smoke after a diagnosis of early lung cancer have a higher risk of death and a greater chance of tumours returning, compared with those who stopped the habit.

It also found a five-year survival rate of 63 to 70 per cent among quitters compared to a 29 to 33 per cent survival rate among those who continued to smoke.

The authors stated that the findings support the evidence that smoking affects the behaviour of tumours in the lungs and seeking help with quitting is strongly supported.

They added that it is never too late for people to stop smoking, even when they have already received a lung cancer diagnosis.