Quitting smoking improves your chances of beating cancer
Finding out that you have cancer can be devastating, not just for you but for everyone who loves you.
It’s stressful. There’s a lot to take in. You might need ongoing treatment or surgery. There are doctors to meet and new medical terms to understand.
It might seem challenging, but research shows that it's a great time to quit. Starting a quit journey after a cancer diagnosis is one of the most positive steps you can take towards a longer life and cancer-free future.
Breaking free from smoking allows you to focus on your treatment and spending time with family and friends. Your GP, cancer specialist and hospital staff will be able to advise and support you. The friendly counsellors at Quitline can help you make a plan to quit and offer advice and support throughout your quit journey.
If you are diagnosed with cancer, quitting can:
- boost your chances of a longer life
- make it less likely that cancer will progress to other parts of your body
- give you a better shot at a cancer-free future.
How smoking affects cancer treatment
Cigarettes contain more than 70 different chemicals that cause 16 types of cancer. But smoking does more than cause cancer. Treatment for cancer can be less successful among people who continue to smoke after diagnosis compared with those who quit because smoking:
- reduces your immune system’s ability to fight cancer
- can increase the chances that tumours will grow and spread
- might make other health conditions you have worse.
If you need surgery, continuing to smoke can increase the risk of complications and harm recovery.
Knowing that one of the best defences against the progress of cancer is quitting can be powerful motivation and Quit is here to help. Our apps and tools provide ideas, tips and distractions during the tough times.
Quitline counsellors have helped many Australians to break free from smoking and vaping, including people in hospital or coping with the uncertainty and stress of a cancer diagnosis.
Are you thinking about quitting? Get in touch and make a plan.