Overview

• Researchers tracked 13,282 oncology outpatients and found two-year survival was 85% for those who quit within six months versus 74% for those who continued smoking, with continuers facing a 97% higher death risk.
• The survival advantage appeared across cancer types and stages, with late-stage patients who quit reaching the 85% survival mark about 540 days after their visit versus 210 days for those who kept smoking.
• Only about 22% of identified smokers quit within six months, highlighting low uptake despite the observed survival benefit.
• The study leveraged the ELEVATE tool from the Cancer Center Cessation Initiative to flag smokers in the electronic health record and offer on-site counseling, digital supports, and medications during routine visits.
• Authors and outside experts note the findings are observational, as the program expands to 14 affiliated clinics and a $1.6 million NCI-funded pragmatic trial launched in September to test scalable delivery models.