Cigarette smoking is the primary risk factor for lung cancer and is responsible for 80-90% of lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer screening eligibility criteria have recently changed to expand the pool of eligible adults to those that are younger and smoke fewer cigarettes on average, which in part may help to address racial and ethnic disparities in early diagnosis and survival outcomes for lung cancer. This will create opportunities for contact with new and greater numbers of at-risk patients at lung cancer screening centers, many of whom may still be actively smoking cigarettes and/or at risk for smoking relapse. Unfortunately, research published in 2022 indicated that lung cancer screening centers across Texas need to build capacity in order to consistently furnish active, evidence-based smoking cessation and relapse prevention interventions to patients. 

​

In PP230002, we will disseminate and implement Taking Texas Tobacco Free (also known as Project SWITCH [Supporting Workplace Investment in Tobacco Control and Health]), an evidence-based tobacco control intervention for cancer prevention that will provide policy and workflow guidance, specialized training, and resources to lung cancer screening centers. This will help to bolster their capacity to provide cessation and relapse prevention interventions to their patients thereby preventing lung and other tobacco-related cancers and improving survival rates. Moreover, the dissemination materials and the technical assistance we provide will facilitate center-led adoption of the program across the state.