Smoking is a top cause of lung cancer and can make cancer recurrence more likely. You can lower your risk for cancer recurrence and promote healing by not smoking or limiting alcohol use. Your care team at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Health System, can provide smoking and alcohol cessation programs to help you quit.

Smoking Cessation

Your care team will help you quit smoking before you start treatment. Smoking can make lung cancer treatment less effective and raise the risk that your tumor will come back. It also makes it more difficult for your body to heal after surgery and radiation, increasing your risk for treatment side effects.

Our BeSmokeFree program provides comprehensive support to help you stop smoking. This free program is available at four different times throughout the week, so it can easily fit into your schedule. Through the program, you’ll learn about strategies for quitting smoking and connecting with other former smokers who can share their experiences with you.

Your primary care physician may also offer you medicines that help curb nicotine cravings or talk to you about participating in clinical trials for medicines designed to help you quit smoking. These trials cover the cost of medication and provide regular monitoring throughout treatment.

Alcohol Cessation

Excessive alcohol use can increase your risk for other cancers, including cancer of the esophagus. Your care team will encourage you to limit your alcohol consumption. If you have difficulty controlling your alcohol consumption, our experts can help you control cravings for alcohol using a combination of therapies and medicines.