Preventing lung cancer by treating tobacco dependence

Abstract

Tobacco use is a chronic medical disorder. Providing evidence-based treatment of tobacco-dependent patients is a challenge, and a team approach provides an efficient treatment model. Tobacco treatment specialists could expand the collective tobacco treatment expertise in the medical setting. Effective tobacco dependence treatment frequently requires tailoring and intensifying of interventions to meet the needs of the individual patient. Stopping smoking reduces the risk of lung cancer and many other cancers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease. Treating tobacco dependence is one of the most cost-effective therapies in medicine and it deserves adequate reimbursement for it to be more widely available.