Personalized Counseling Helps Cervical Cancer Survivors Quit Smoking

UCLA study finds targeted support program doubles quit rates at reasonable cost for healthcare systems.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:12am

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A new study led by UCLA researchers suggests that a personalized counseling program can significantly help women who have survived cervical precancer or cervical cancer to quit smoking. The specialized program, called Motivation and Problem-Solving (MAPS), combines standard nicotine replacement therapy with up to six individualized counseling sessions over a year and helped twice as many women quit smoking compared to women who had standard smoking cessation support.

Why it matters

Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer recurrence and other health problems, so quitting is especially important for cervical cancer survivors. However, many struggle with low motivation, stress, and a lack of understanding about the strong link between smoking and their cancer, which is why tailored support can make a big difference.

The details

The randomized clinical trial involved 194 women with a history of cervical precancer or cervical cancer who were current smokers. Half received standard treatment with self-help materials and a quitline referral, while the other half also got up to six personalized MAPS counseling sessions over 12 months. After 12 months, 26.5% of the MAPS group had quit smoking, compared to 12.5% in the standard group. Although the MAPS program cost more per participant ($523 vs. $389), it was considered cost-effective, with an incremental cost of $921 per additional person who quit smoking.

  • The 12-month study period ran from 2024 to 2025.
  • At 18 months (6 months after counseling ended), quit rates declined in the MAPS group to 14.3%, compared to 12.5% in the standard group.

The players

Tina Shih, PhD

Director of the Cancer Health Economics Research Program at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and senior author of the study.

Xiaoyu Liu

PhD candidate at the Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and first author of the study.

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What they’re saying

“Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer recurrence and other health problems, so quitting is especially important for these survivors.”

— Tina Shih, PhD, Director of the Cancer Health Economics Research Program at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (Mirage News)

“Many struggle with low motivation and confidence in quitting, stress and other triggers, and some do not realize how strongly smoking is linked to their cancer, which is why tailored support can make such a difference.”

— Tina Shih, PhD, Professor of Health Economics in the department of radiation oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (Mirage News)

What’s next

Researchers noted that more investment is needed to extend the duration of the MAPS treatment and boost participant engagement to prevent relapse and sustain abstinence long-term.

The takeaway

This study provides strong evidence that cancer centers can achieve meaningful improvements in smoking cessation among cervical cancer survivors by implementing a personalized counseling program like MAPS, which delivers good value for healthcare systems.