Smoking during treatment

Any cancer might not respond to treatment as well as the oncologists hope. Much depends on whether the tumour is HPV positive (OPSCC that are HPV +ve  respond much better to Radiotherapy) and what stage it's at. In my opinion we have been given a chance of a cure for an aggressive cancer and it seems completely crazy to risk failure by continuing one of the possible causes of it in the first place. Having said that, smoking is a powerful addiction and even people not under the huge stress of cancer treatment need help in kicking the habit. Can your team suggest some sort of therapy to help him stop? He may not want to as it's helping him cope in which case you can't do anything about it. Sorry....that's not what you asked

Hi Curlywurly, I have no idea about the impact of smoking on treatment outcomes, but I was a smoker and I know that if I hadn’t stopped of my own volition before treatment there wasn’t any way I’d have managed too during, maybe by week 4, I felt pretty rough by then so it might not have had the same enjoyment. 

It must be deeply worrying for you, that’s so tough, my best advice is maybe buy him a vape. Not perfect but probably better than smoking, much cheaper and more socially acceptable these days.  

Obviously smoking isn’t great, but it’s such hard thing quit. Good luck to you both 

Carrie 

Good evening curlywurly.com, Smoking, drinking, drugs, and eating chocolate are all addictive and very hard to give up, its funny my consultant asked if I smoked or drunk yet he never told me to stop but advised me to get help to cut back gradually which i did with both drink and smoking where I do not smoke at all now and only have a pint of beer a night to help me relax. Carries idea of vaping is maybe a good idea at this moment in time as it will help him get over this difficult period, as Beesuit said it is most probably helping him to cope as smokers tend to smoke/drink/eat more when stressed. I was told that smoking can delay the recovery period. I'm sure it will not make it less effective but it would be so much better if he found an alternative and sought help via his Dr who can prescribe patches, tablets, gum, etc, I was put on a course of tablets that decreased in strength as the weeks went by, it certainly worked for me although I expect the fear of cancer also helped. It's a hard one to call. How is your husband doing otherwise? All the best to you both, take care.

                                                                                           Chris x

Hi curlywurly,

I can totally understand why your hubby has continued to smoke. At the moment it’s probably the only thing in his life that has not changed so dramatically. Coming to terms with your life being turned upside down in a matter of weeks is overwhelming and not being in control of any part of it has probably left him feeling he doesn’t recognise himself anymore. Smoking is his crutch. I know it sounds mad to non smokers!

I gave up before my treatment started and is was tough. A friend who is a cancer nurse at the hospital I’m attending came running outside to find me after my treatment plan was given to me and gave me a good talking to and said it WILL return if you don’t stop. It’s funny how I listened to her and how her words stayed with me.

I also thought it would be a kick in the teeth to the medical team who were offering to save my life. The guilt took over but the desire was still there along with being so moody from withdrawl symptoms.

I did vape once I started to feel a bit better as I couldn’t do any of the other things that I once enjoyed like eating & drinking because of swallowing issues. I’m not advocating vaping but it may help your hubby to get through this stage.

Wishing both of you all the very best.

little-fi 

Hi

What week of treatment is your husband on? I used to smoke, had to quit, not touching smoke again! It'll be impossible for him to smoke probably towards week 4 of radio, and few months after radio, as all the taste buds will be destroyed, it'll hurt to smoke, it'll hurt to inhale, and it'll taste horrible.

Best wishes to your husband, it's a hard treatment

Just on the same theme - I don’t smoke and have HPV positive base of tongue cancer. My husbands smoking is going through the roof with stress and its really irritating me. I have cancer and he is trying to join the club the way he is going. How do I stop myself criticising him all the time for it. It’s worse when he is at home and keeps nipping outside every 30 mins or so. I’m fuming about it but also aware that this is a crutch right now for him and not the time to try and stop. 

As you say, it's his crutch at present. He's frightened of losing you. Time to get him off it when you're better. You can't tell smokers they will get cancer. Everybody thinks it will happen to others, not themselves.