There are currently no evidence-based guidelines to support the recommendation of e-cigarettes as a cessation tool to help patients stop smoking. In a recent article in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology,1 members of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation Committee advised against recommending their use at this time. They urged clinicians to use evidence-based cessation strategies wherever possible, and recommended that clinicians consider the strong need for cancer patients to stop smoking as soon as possible. This will help promote the most effective outcomes of their patients’ cancer therapy.
The increasing popularity and availability of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in many countries has created interest among health professionals and patients about the applicability of e-cigarettes in tobacco cessation activities. IASLC does recommend that research be done to evaluate the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes as a cessation treatment in cancer patients and to help guide clinical practice.
Ongoing Initiatives
Through the IASLC Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation Committee, the association is committed to making policymakers, association members, and the public aware of the benefits of initiatives to reduce the further use of tobacco and the associated health problems including lung cancer. IASLC is connecting experts worldwide to share the growing evidence base with policymakers and works with the IASLC membership to share this information globally.
For more information on this statement and other Tobacco Cessation information, visit: www.iaslc.org
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Reference
1. Cummings KM1, Dresler CM, Field JK, et al: E-cigarettes and cancer patients. J Thorac Oncol 9:438-441, 2014.
