Talking With Your Cancer Care Team About Tobacco Use

It can be hard to talk to your cancer care team about your tobacco use. But it’s an important conversation to have, and it will help them support you better.

Why it’s important to talk about your tobacco use

There are several reasons people sometimes hold back from telling their cancer care team about their tobacco use, including:

• Concern that the care team might judge them
• Concern that they might receive less support for their cancer
• Belief that quitting tobacco after a cancer diagnosis is pointless
• Belief that using tobacco can help relieve the stress of a cancer diagnosis

Tobacco products contain nicotine, which is addictive. This makes it hard to stop smoking, even if you are motivated to quit. Your cancer care team understands this. They won’t judge you or provide less cancer care because you use tobacco.

Instead, if they know you use tobacco, they can help you get the support you need to quit. They can also help you understand how your tobacco use might affect your cancer treatment.

It is never too late to stop using tobacco. Quitting has many health benefits, even after a cancer diagnosis. Your cancer care team wants to help you reach this goal.

Facts to share with your cancer care team

Share information about your tobacco history and current use. This will help your cancer care team make your treatment plan.

Let them know if:

• You currently smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products
• People in your household smoke or use other forms of tobacco
• Smoking is allowed in your workplace

Tell them about your current or former use:

• Do you use tobacco within the first 30 minutes after waking up?
• On most days, how many cigarettes do you smoke?
• Or how many pouches/cans of smokeless tobacco do you use?
• How many years have you used (or did you previously use) tobacco?
• At what age did you begin using tobacco?

Also give them information about:

• How long it’s been since you last used tobacco regularly, if you’ve stopped
• How many times you’ve tried to quit
• How long you were successful with each attempt to quit
• What methods you’ve used (or are using now) to try to quit
• Whether your tobacco use has changed after being told you have cancer

Questions to ask

Consider asking your cancer care team these questions:

• How will continuing to use tobacco affect my cancer treatment?
• How is using tobacco hurting my general health?
• What are the health benefits of quitting tobacco?
• If I continue using tobacco during cancer treatment, will I have more (or different) treatment side effects? 
• How can I make a plan to stop using tobacco?
• What medicines are there to help me quit?
• Where can I find resources, like counseling and support groups?
• How can I manage or avoid situations that make me want to smoke or use tobacco?
• How can my health care team help me with this?
• How can my family and friends help me?
• Who can help me understand the costs of programs to help me quit using tobacco?
• How often should you and I discuss my progress?

Also consider telling your health care team about your fears or other barriers to quitting. Together, you can find ways to deal with your concerns.

Learn more