Abstract A001: The National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I): Examining the baseline characteristics and reach of tobacco treatment programs within NCI-Designated Cancer Centers in the C3I
Authors: D'Angelo Heather , Rolland Betsy , Adsit Rob , Morgan Glen , Rosenblum Marika , Fiore Michael C. 
Published: August 2020

Quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis leads to better outcomes for cancer patients, including lower risk for a second primary cancer and increased survival. Yet few cancer patients receive smoking cessation services during their oncology health care visits, and disparities in the receipt of such smoking cessation services exist. As part of the Cancer Moonshot, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has dedicated funding to expand and enhance smoking cessation services at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers for all patients who smoke. We report on the baseline characteristics of tobacco treatment programs (TTPs) at the 22 Cancer Centers initially funded through the Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I), for six months before funding was awarded. Characteristics measured included consistency of smoking status documentation in electronic health records (EHR), types of cessation services offered, and referral methods used. TTP reach (the percentage of smokers who engaged in any type of TTP) was calculated overall and by patient demographics for Centers providing aggregate patient data (n=11). Data were collected in 2018. Among the 22 funded Centers, 40.9% consistently documented smoking status using the EHR. At least one type of cessation service was offered at 77.3% of Centers. Quitline referral was the most frequently cited service (50%), followed by in-person TTPs (45.5%). One Center offered text and web-based programs. Only 31.8% of centers used the EHR to refer patients to TTPs; among those, one used an opt-out referral method. TTP reach on average was 22.2%, but varied by Center, ranging from 0.5% to 79.7%. About 27% of Black, 21% of White, 20.3% of Hispanic and 12.2% of Asian patients who smoked received cessation services. Less than 8% of patients aged 18-24 received cessation services compared with those aged 25-44 (18.3%), 45-64 (24.7%) and 65+ (21.9%). A slightly higher percentage of female patients (23%) received cessation services compared with males (21.7%). The majority of C3I funded Cancer Centers offered some type of TTP in the prefunding period. However, on average only 22% of smokers were reached by a TTP, and reach varied by race, age, and gender of smokers. The Cancer Center Cessation Initiative provides an opportunity for Cancer Centers to improve the reach and effectiveness of smoking cessation services for cancer patients who smoke, and reduce disparities in the receipt of cessation services by providing financial and technical support for Centers to build and implement comprehensive evidence-based smoking cessation programs.

Citation Format: Heather D'Angelo, Betsy Rolland, Rob Adsit, Glen Morgan, Marika Rosenblum, Michael C. Fiore. The National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I): Examining the baseline characteristics and reach of tobacco treatment programs within NCI-Designated Cancer Centers in the C3I [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A001.