CHEST Guidelines-Smoking-Cessation-Resources-Can-and-Should-Be-Inte

Smoking-Cessation-Resources-Can-and-Should-Be-Inte

Pdf Summary

The editorial by Steven B. Zeliadt, PhD, highlights the missed opportunities for integrating smoking cessation resources into lung cancer screening programs. The study by Shen et al., featured in CHEST, evaluated care for 423 smokers in a prominent cancer center, revealing that only 17% received prescriptions for tobacco treatment and just 5% received both counseling and medication, the recommended dual approach for smoking cessation. The editorial stresses the urgency of incorporating tobacco treatment more effectively, as smoking causes 480,000 deaths annually in the U.S., with lung cancer screening only offering a small reduction in these numbers. Combining tobacco treatment with screening could elevate quit rates, decrease deaths by 14%, and increase life years gained by 81%.<br /><br />The main barriers identified include lack of resources and time, and a reliance on documentation rather than active treatment. Proactive tobacco treatment strategies, where medications are given as a default and patients are connected to behavioral treatments, have shown effectiveness, doubling long-term abstinence odds. For example, integrating electronic health records to identify smokers increased cessation medication prescriptions from 3% to 17%.<br /><br />The cost of adding comprehensive tobacco treatment, even the most expensive method, to lung cancer screening is negligible, increasing costs by less than 0.22%. With enhanced electronic health records systems, there's an opportunity to systematically connect eligible patients with smoking cessation resources, a vital step in transforming lung cancer screening into a comprehensive public health intervention. The editorial advocates for a shift towards this proactive model to ensure smokers receive optimal care.

Keywords

smoking cessation

lung cancer screening

tobacco treatment

public health intervention

electronic health records

proactive strategies

quit rates

behavioral treatments

healthcare integration

treatment barriers