Nicotine Dependence Treatment
Even if you have been diagnosed with cancer, quitting nicotine can make a difference in your health. It can make your radiation and chemotherapy more effective, help surgical wounds heal and reduce the risk of your cancer returning or of developing another cancer.
Quitting nicotine is difficult because the addiction can be very powerful. Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Nicotine Dependence Treatment Program can help you succeed.
No matter where you are in your cancer care or what form of nicotine you use, you can participate in the program. Even if you’re not quite ready to quit, we’re here to help.
The program is personalized to meet your specific needs. Features of the program can include:
- Strategies to manage triggers and cravings, as well as stress management techniques.
- Medication such as nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medications such as Chantix (varenicline) or Zyban (bupropion).
- If you want to cut down, but not stop, and try a medication, we can help monitor your progress and any side effects.
Over the course of six months, you will have several one-on-one appointments with the Nicotine Dependence Treatment team. Your appointments can be conveniently scheduled to coincide with your other visits or telemedicine options are available.
We will treat everyone, regardless of their insurance status. Although most insurance plans cover nicotine dependence treatment, be sure to contact your insurer to find out what your plan covers.
Our Team
The Nicotine Dependence Treatment Program works closely with your Wilmot Cancer Institute team to coordinate your care.
Patricia Mallaber, ANP-BC, is co-director of the Wilmot Cancer Institute Nicotine Dependence Treatment Program. Mallaber is a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner with primary focus of treating nicotine dependence in cancer patients. She is also a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist through the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD).
The Benefits of Quitting Nicotine
In addition to improving your health, quitting nicotine now can:
- Make chemotherapy and radiation more effective.
- Help surgical wounds to heal.
- Reduce your chances of heart attack, and stroke by 50% within one year.
- Reduce your risk of infection.
- Give you more energy.
- Improve your quality of life.
- Reduce the chance of your cancer coming back.
- Reduce the chance of another cancer.
- Improve the lives of your loved ones by eliminating their exposure to second-hand smoke.
- Slows the progression of emphysema to that of a non-smoker at the time you stop.
- Reduce your chance of getting diabetes, or if you have it, stopping improves control of your blood sugar.
- Improve your pain control.
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