The Economic Potential of Smoking Cessation Interventions at the Point of Diagnosis of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Stopping smoking has proven benefits in nearly all illnesses but the impact and health economic benefits of stopping smoking after a diagnosis of lung cancer are less well defined. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation (SC) services for patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer against current usual care, where patients are unlikely to receive SC service referral. A health economic model was constructed in Excel. The modelled population comprised of patients with a new diagnosis of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data from the LungCast data set (Clinical Trials Identifier NCT01192256) were used to estimate model inputs. A structured search of published literature identified inputs not represented in LungCast, including healthcare resource use and costs. Costs were estimated from a 2020/2021 UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective. The model estimated the incremental quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained in patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC receiving targeted SC intervention than those receiving no intervention. Extensive one-way sensitivity analyses explored input and data set uncertainty. In the 5-year base case, the model estimated an incremental cost of £14 904 per QALY gained through SC intervention. Sensitivity analysis estimated an outcome range of between £9935 and £32 246 per QALY gained. The model was most sensitive to the estimates of relative quit rates and expected healthcare resource use. This exploratory analysis indicates that SC intervention for smokers with patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC should be a cost-effective use of UK National Health Service resources. Additional research with focused costing is needed to confirm this positioning. • This study is the first to explore the potential cost-effectiveness of targeted SC intervention in currently smoking patients with newly diagnosed non–small cell lung cancer (a high-risk population proven to benefit from quitting smoking). • The LungCast trial (Clinical Trials Identifier NCT01192256) is a real-world data set exploring the prevalence and survival impact of smoking in a cohort of patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer with > 2400 patients tracked for up to 2 years (or until death). • This exploratory analysis can support commissioners in assessing the potential value of investing in dedicated SC services at the point of diagnosis of non–small cell lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]