Your Body's Response to Quitting Smoking

By Molly Skubak

Did you know that cigarette smoke contains more than 2,000 toxic chemicals? Over time, these harmful toxins wreak immense havoc on the body, laying the groundwork for numerous health risks, such as emphysema and stomach cancer, that shorten the body’s lifespan and hasten the body’s natural aging process.

Fortunately, the likelihood of many of these risks are reduced or eliminated entirely after quitting smoking, regardless of an individual’s smoking history. With the infographic below,UPMC’s smoking cessation expert, Timothy Cline, Ph.D., senior director of UPMC Health Plan, outlines the body’s response to smoking cessation. 

In the News: Heavy Smokers May Soon Be Eligible for Annual Lung Cancer Screenings

By Andréa Stanford

Annual lung cancer screenings may soon be available for certain patients with a current or past history of heavy smoking, according to a recent recommendation put forth the by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Experts on the government-based health panel say that preventive screenings for lung cancer, a disease which claims more deaths than colorectal, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers combined, could potentially save 20,000 lives a year. Statistics estimate that nearly 90 percent of individuals diagnosed with lung cancer die from the disease, largely due from lack of early detection.

Two major studies showing the reduction of lung cancer deaths by 20 percent (as a result of preventive screenings for individuals with a history of smoking) served as the catalyst for the recommendation. If put in in place, annual CT scans, or screenings which inspect the lungs for possible tumors, would be available to an estimated 10 million Americans. The preventive screenings would be accessible to current and former smokers who meet the following criteria: 

• Are between the ages of 55 through 79 
• Have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years (or the equivalent, such as two packs a day for 15 years)

Conversely, past smokers who quit at least 15 years ago and individuals who are too sick or frail to undergo cancer treatment would be ineligible for the screenings. Additionally, younger or lighter smokers are not advised to undergo the preventive scans since the benefits of screenings have yet to be determined for individuals who are at a lower risk of developing lung cancer. 

The USPSTF’s recommendation follows in the footsteps of several health organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Lung Association, that have advocated for lung cancer screenings for high-risk individuals. 

The proposed recommendation is open for public comment until August 26th. Afterwards the task force will implement suggested modifications and issue the final guidelines for the recommendation before it goes into effect. As part of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will be required to cover annual lung cancer screenings as a preventive measure for individuals who meet the newly outlined criteria. 

As smoking is the culprit in roughly 85 percent of all lung cancer deaths, experts on the panel hope to generate awareness to this health issue and change the way individuals view lung cancer. 


Visit the UPMC CancerCenters website to learn more about lung cancer services and treatments.  

Kicking the Habit: FAQs on Smoking Cessation

By Molly Skubak

While there has been a significant drop in the popularity of smoking., about 18 percent of Americans continue to smoke and it remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States.  

Smoking can lead to 14 different types of cancer, including lung, pancreatic and stomach. Given these statistics, it’s not surprising that almost 70 percent of smokers report wanting to quit.

It’s not an easy habit to break, but it can be done.  Here, Timothy Cline, M.D.,a director at UPMC Health Plan and a leading smoking cessation expert, answers questions about how and why smokers can kick the habit. 

What are the benefits of smoking cessation?

Some people think they’ve smoked for so long that quitting now is pointless. However, the health benefits of quitting begin almost immediately, regardless of how long they have been smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, within 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure will drop. You’ll be breathing easier as early as one month after quitting thanks to decreased coughing and shortness of breath. Soon after quitting, you also are likely to discover that food tastes better, and you have more energy to enjoy physical activities. One year of being smoke free means your risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s. Everyone who gives up cigarettes can experience these benefits, no matter how long they’ve been smoking, and they only increase as you spend more time smoke-free.

Are e-cigarettes a healthy alternative to regular cigarettes? What about light or organic cigarettes?

Many people switch to light, natural or electronic cigarettes because they think these are safe alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Unfortunately, while light and organic cigarettes definitely sound friendlier, they do not present a lower risk for disease than regular cigarettes and have been found to be just as harmful. As for e-cigarettes, the FDA hasn’t studied them enough to know just how harmful they may be, but users do in fact inhale toxins when smoking them. Rather than switching to these types of cigarettes, users aiming to make a healthy change in their smoking habits should focus on quitting altogether.

I’ve been hearing a lot about third-hand smoke. What is it?

Smoking can lead to serious health issues and premature death. Even breathing in second-hand smoke — smoke from someone else’s cigarette — can cause you serious harm. What many people don’t know, though, is that even after a cigarette is rubbed out or you distance yourself from someone smoking, toxins from the smoke linger on all the surfaces exposed to tobacco smoke. That means if you stand next to someone smoking, toxic residues will cling to you and your clothes long after you’ve left the smoky area and can be transferred to anyone or anything you come in contact with.  A recent study at Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory found that some of the toxins in third-hand smoke can damage the DNA inside human cells, which can lead to the development of cancerous tumors in the body.

Fact or Fiction: Is it common for individuals to gain weight after quitting smoking?

Fear of weight gain is one of the most common reasons smokers hesitate to kick the habit, but giving up smoking doesn’t have to mean picking up pounds. With a nutritious diet and regular exercise, excessive weight gain is avoidable. Some experts recommend developing these healthy habits before quitting so they are already formed when it’s time to quit. And while many people who quit smoking do gain a few pounds (especially within the first few months of quitting), the risks associated with this slight increase are not nearly as threatening as those associated with smoking.

To learn more about cigarette smoke and smoking cessation, visit the UPMC Health Plan.

UPMC implements smoke free shifts

By Alexandra Salerno

Before Carolyn Krachkowski quit smoking, she could not finish eating a meal with friends at a restaurant without excusing herself from the table to smoke a cigarette.

“Once I quit, I realized how intrusive smoking was in my life,” said Carolyn, a UPMC senior workforce analyst, who has been tobacco free for 502 days. “I couldn’t even sit at dinner and finish a conversation with friends. After a day of shopping with my friend, I couldn’t get back in the car until I smoked my cigarette, and my friend would have to stand outside with me in any weather.”

Carolyn’s husband, Michael, a UPMC contact center specialist, has been tobacco free for more than two weeks.

“Michael chewed tobacco for 23 years, and he couldn’t imagine his life without chewing so it’s a pretty big step for him,” said Carolyn. 

Beginning July 1, 2014, UPMC staff, including employees, physicians, students and volunteers, will become smoke and tobacco-free throughout the workday. The policy change is part of UPMC’s ongoing commitment to provide the highest quality care in western Pennsylvania.

Carolyn believes small behavioral changes can make a big difference when it comes to quitting smoking, and she advises colleagues who want to quit the same advice. Carolyn said seemingly small aspects of a person’s routine can be modified to help curb the habit including using a different parking spot not associated with a smoke break.

Carolyn’s husband is one of many employees who quit his tobacco use with the help of UPMC resources. Staff have access to a comprehensive behavior modification program, including online support and one-on-one counseling with health coaches. Various medications are also available that can enhance the chances of successfully quitting, including nicotine patches, gum, nasal spray, oral inhalers, lozenges, and non-nicotine tablets.

Because sometimes a smoker needs more than one attempt before success, UPMC will provide staff with intensive support and preparation so that they can work without needing smoke breaks before the policy is implemented next year.

The difficulty associated with quitting is something Carolyn understands all too well.

“There are triggers,” she said. “When you see someone on TV who smokes, it makes you want to smoke.”

To cope, not only did Carolyn adjust her routine, but she also focused on the positive aspects of quitting through the Quit Smoking: Cessation Nation app on her phone. The app tracks how long it's been since Carolyn stopped smoking, the amount of money Carolyn saved, cigarettes not smoked, and overall health improvements.

Carolyn said she is still working on her overall health. Since quitting smoking, both her heart rate and blood pressure have significantly improved. She is also hoping to reduce her risk of stroke to the levels of a non-smoker.  

When it comes to quitting, Carolyn, who used to smoke one and a half to two packs a day, said it is all about your attitude.

“I learned to look at quitting in a positive way.”