Reducing tobacco-related cancer incidence and mortality: summary of an institute of medicine workshop

Abstract

Tobacco use remains a serious and persistent national problem. Recognizing that progress in combating cancer will never be fully achieved without addressing the tobacco problem, the National Cancer Policy Forum of the Institute of Medicine convened a public workshop exploring current issues in tobacco control, tobacco cessation, and implications for cancer patients. Workshop participants discussed potential policy, outreach, and treatment strategies to reduce tobacco-related cancer incidence and mortality, and highlighted a number of potential high-value action items to improve tobacco control policy, research, and advocacy.

Keywords: Cancer; Tobacco cessation; Tobacco prevention and control; Tobacco use.

Figure 1.

Percentage of high school students who reported current cigarette use, 1991 to 2011. For all high school students, cigarette smoking increased from 1991 to 1997 and decreased from 1997 to 2011. The rate of decline in smoking has slowed down from 2003 to 2011 compared with 1997 to 2003. Note: Current cigarette use is defined as smoking on at least 1 day during the 30 days prior to the survey. Source: CDC. 2012. Adolescent and school health: Youth risk behavior survey fact sheets. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/factsheets/index.htm.

Figure 2.

Impact of tobacco control measures in California and New York City. (A): With a 15-year investment of $1.8 billion in tobacco control, lung and bronchus cancer incidence rates declined faster in California compared with the rest of the U.S. from 1988 to 2009. Source: California Department of Public Health, California Tobacco Control Program. (B): Impact of tobacco taxes and smoke-free laws on adult and youth smoking prevalence in New York City, 2002–2006. Source: Ellis et al. [66]; New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene [67].