- Many factors contribute to a person's learning to smoke, continuing to smoke, and having difficulty quitting. There is a connection between genetics and nicotine addiction. Researchers have found that variations in specific genes substantially increase the risk of addiction, affect susceptibility to adverse health effects, and signal whether smoking cessation medications will help. This research someday may lead to better nicotine addiction treatment.
- Large smoking cessation trials suggest that women may have more difficulty quitting and be less likely to quit than men. The reasons are not well understood. Overall, women may experience withdrawal differently. Or, available medications may not work as well for them.
- Research indicates that some women may possibly be more concerned about gaining weight than other women. Gaining weight is common after quitting smoking, although most people do not gain that much. Therapy can help to ease these concerns and the pressure of quitting. Also, smoking cessation medications may ease anxiety because they can help to limit weight gains. More exercise and watching what you eat also can reduce weight.
- In November 2010, the NCI's National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) reported initial results from the trial, which compared two ways of detecting lung cancer: low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) and standard chest X-ray. The results showed 20 percent fewer lung cancer deaths among trial participants screened with low-dose CT compared to those who got screened with chest X-rays.
Clinical Trials Related to Smoking
Clinical trials are scientific studies that try to find better ways to prevent, screen for, diagnose, or treat disease. You can find information about clinical trials related to smoking by going to www.clinicaltrials.gov and typing in the words you want to search, such as smoking or tobacco.
You may also be interested in prevention trials:
Clinical Trials: Lung Cancer Prevention
Check for trials about lung cancer prevention from NCI's List of Cancer Clinical Trials now accepting patients. http://www.cancer.gov/search/ResultsClinicalTrials.aspx?protocolsearchid=475994