Smilow Tobacco Treatment Program

Quitting tobacco is difficult. In the tobacco treatment program at Smilow Cancer Hospital, we offer quitting strategies that combine counseling and drug treatment to help patients reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms, cope with cravings, and break the cycle of tobacco use. Our program includes a multidisciplinary team of advanced nurse practitioners, psychologists, physicians, and research staff. We tailor treatment to each patient’s situation and tobacco use history.

It is critical that cancer patients quit smoking after initial diagnosis. Quitting has been shown to improve response to cancer treatments such as therapeutic radiology, chemotherapy, and surgery; decrease the likelihood of second malignancies; and increase rates of survival.

In general, the immediate health benefits of stopping tobacco use include:

• Increased blood oxygen levels
• Decreased heart rate, blood pressure, chance of heart attack

The long-term benefits include:

• Increased lung health, fertility, and health of skin, teeth, and gums
• Decreased risk for lung and other kinds of cancer, as well as for heart disease