Former smokers with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may have higher rates of survival after diagnosis, according to a retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open. The study found that patients who had stopped smoking prior to their diagnosis had the greatest survival benefit, and the longer the cessation period before diagnosis, the better the outcome. The study also found that former smokers had a 26% higher mortality risk than those who had never smoked, and current smokers faced an additional 68% increase in mortality risk. The results suggest that more accurate estimates of additional mortality risk could be determined by a granular look at the timing of smoking cessation among those diagnosed with NSCLC.
