Q: How do you respond to people who think that because they already have cancer, there’s no point in quitting?
A: The research shows two things: First, people who have any type of cancer who quit smoking have better quality of life. Inflammation in the lungs decreases, allowing more oxygen to flow, which helps with fatigue. Second, if you look at studies examining the effects of lung cancer treatment, regardless of whether it’s chemotherapy, surgery or radiation, life expectancy is longer for those who quit smoking.