A virtual tobacco cessation programme combining telehealth counselling with nicotine replacement therapy has nearly doubled smoking quit rates among cancer patients compared to standard care, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Researchers found that cancer patients who received sustained virtual counselling along with stop-smoking medication were significantly more likely to quit smoking within six months than those referred to the U.S. National Cancer Institute's quit line.

The study, led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, involved 306 patients who had recently been diagnosed with cancer and were receiving treatment in community oncology centres. Participants were randomly assigned to either a Virtual Sustained Treatment (VST) programme, which included regular telehealth counselling and nicotine replacement therapy, or Enhanced Usual Care (EUC), which consisted of referral to the National Cancer Institute's quit line.

After six months, 28.4% of patients in the virtual treatment group had successfully quit smoking, compared with 14.7% of those receiving usual care, nearly doubling the quit rate.

Researchers also found strong participation in the virtual programme. More than 80% of patients attended counselling sessions, while nearly 86% of those who participated received nicotine replacement therapy. Patients who completed more than eight counselling sessions were significantly more likely to quit smoking than those who attended fewer than five sessions.

The study further showed that continuous smoking abstinence and substantial reductions in tobacco use were both higher among patients enrolled in the virtual programme. Researchers estimated the additional cost of achieving one extra successful quitter through the programme at 7,724 US dollars.

Lead author Dr. Jamie S. Ostroff of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said the findings demonstrate that cancer patients are willing to engage in virtual tobacco treatment and that such programmes can substantially improve smoking cessation in community oncology settings.

"Our findings show that patients are willing to engage in virtual sustained tobacco treatment and that this approach can meaningfully improve quit rates in community-based oncology practice," Dr. Ostroff said.

She added that combining virtual counselling with nicotine replacement therapy offers a practical, cost-effective and scalable approach that can help cancer patients quit smoking regardless of where they receive treatment.

Researchers said the findings highlight the growing potential of telehealth-based tobacco cessation services to improve cancer outcomes, as quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis can enhance treatment effectiveness, reduce complications and improve long-term survival.