Virtual, sustained treatment for tobacco use within a community oncology care setting nearly doubled smoking cessation rates when compared to usual care, according to a study published July 13 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Led by researchers at Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the study followed 306 cancer patients between August 2019 and December 2022 who received care across 37 National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program sites.
Here are five notes on the study:
- Patients who were assigned to the virtual care group received up to 11 synchronous telehealth-based counseling sessions and up to 12 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy.
Patients who received usual care were referred to the NCI quitline. - At six months, the seven-day abstinence rate was 28.4% among the virtual care group and 14.7% among the usual care group.
- Of the patients who received virtual care, 80.8% participated in counseling and 85.7% were dispensed nicotine replacement therapy patches and lozenges.
Patients who completed more than eight counseling sessions were more likely to quit than those who completed fewer than five sessions. - Participants in the virtual care group were about four times more likely to report using smoking cessation medication.
- The study was led by Elyse Park, PhD, program director of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute’s Smokefree Support Service; and Jamie Ostroff, PhD, chief of the Behavioral Sciences Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, according to a July 13 news release from Mass General Brigham.
Read the full study here.
At the Becker's Perioperative Summit, taking place September 14–15 in Chicago, perioperative leaders and healthcare executives will focus on improving operating room efficiency, enhancing patient safety, optimizing staffing and driving innovation across surgical services. Apply for complimentary registration now.