Electronic cigarettes officially listed in US oncology guidelines as a solution for smoking cessation
American practice guidelines in oncology include electronic cigarettes among effective methods for quitting smoking.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guide, a network that includes the most important diagnostic and treatment centers in the USA, is consulted annually by more than 16 million health professionals. In the US, these guidelines set the standards in oncology practice, being used by hospitals and insurers to validate treatment plans and reimbursements. At an international level, the NCCN guide is used as a benchmark by numerous medical societies, including in Europe and Romania, in parallel with the ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) guidelines.
The effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation was evaluated in a Cochrane meta-analysis in 2023. The study showed that e-cigarettes with nicotine were associated with higher smoking cessation rates compared to the control group, with high-certainty evidence. This review found that quit rates for e-cigarettes were higher than for drugs. Quitting smoking was validated by biochemical analyses, which proved the absence of nicotine in the blood. A 2022 review also found better abstinence rates among those who used nicotine e-cigarettes compared to those who used medication.
A Cochrane study involves the analysis of all existing clinical studies about a medical procedure, drug or prevention method, being carried out by a non-profit organization, recognized as a global leader in the synthesis of scientific evidence.
Existing studies are critically appraised for quality, and results are compared and combined statistically (through meta-analysis) to arrive at a common conclusion that is stronger than any individual study. The conclusions are then presented in a transparent way, showing the level of certainty of the evidence. These meta-analyses, considered the clearest scientific evidence in medicine, are used by the FDA, EMA, other regulatory authorities, and professional organizations to develop clinical guidelines.
The Comprehensive Cancer Center Network connects multidisciplinary cancer centers in the US, covering all aspects of medical practice (prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research).
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https://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=3&id=1463
