Novel Treatment to Enhance Smoking Cessation Before Cancer Surgery

Novel Treatment to Enhance Smoking Cessation Before Cancer Surgery

The purpose of this clinical trial is to determine the feasibility and efficacy of an intervention designed to increase rates of tobacco abstinence for cancer patients before their cancer surgery.

The investigators are proposing a developmental interdisciplinary pilot study to determine the feasibility and efficacy of an intervention designed to increase rates of tobacco abstinence for cancer patients before their cancer surgery. This study (a follow up to smaller pilot studies) will serve as a means to further develop a treatment protocol and to generate an accurate effect size for a full scale trial. The present study will constitute a development clinical trial with a primary aim of developing an effect size for smoking cessation at the time of surgery (7-day point prevalence abstinence), and a secondary aim of creating an effect size for long-term abstinence at 3 months post-surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. age 18 or older
2. smoking ≥ 1 cigarettes per day
3. CO > 6 ppm
4. diagnosed with or suspicion of any type of operable thoracic, head and neck, breast, or gynecologic cancer
5. agreement on a 2-5-week pre-surgical tobacco intervention by both patient and surgeon, and 6) residence within reasonable driving distance to New Haven.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. unstable psychiatric conditions such as suicidal ideation, acute psychosis, severe alcohol dependence, or dementia
2. unstable medical conditions that have not been well controlled (e.g., acute infection requiring hospitalization) for the past 30 days
3. pregnant or breastfeeding women
4. those with limited decision making capacity.