Group-based tobacco treatment for older adults after lung cancer screening
Official title: Assessing the Effectiveness and Implementation of group based Tobacco Treatment for older individuals undergoing lung cancer screening
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11447151 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests a group-based tobacco cessation program for older adults who are getting lung cancer screening to help them quit smoking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $713,493 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA303617-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447151 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults who smoke and are undergoing lung cancer screening, particularly English- and Spanish-speaking individuals at risk due to loneliness or other social barriers.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who are not seeking to quit or who have contraindications to nicotine replacement therapy may receive limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on previous work showing that longer, telehealth cessation counseling can help older adults quit smoking when they are undergoing lung cancer screening. It will compare different counseling durations and nicotine replacement strategies, delivered via telehealth, to see what helps more people quit by 6 months. The research will also explore social barriers to quitting, including loneliness, and how group-based sessions might support participants. The goal is to identify practical, scalable approaches that integrate cessation into the screening visit for older adults with multiple health issues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more effective quitting programs integrated with lung cancer screening, potentially reducing further cancer risk and improving overall health.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies showed longer counseling increases quit rates, suggesting this approach could be effective when adapted for group and telehealth formats.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Elyse R. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Park, Elyse R.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Digital health strategies to expand lung cancer screening in safety-net clinics
A funded project aims to help low-resource clinics increase the use of lung cancer screening for patients who smoke or are at risk.
-
Integrated approach to lung screening and quitting for African Americans
A multi-level program aims to boost LDCT lung cancer screening uptake and help African American smokers quit, with support from a comprehensive community-focused plan.
-
Population health approach to boost lung cancer screening at community clinics
A large Utah project aims to help community clinics reach more eligible adults to get low-dose CT lung cancer screening.
-
Personalized Lung Cancer Screening for Veterans
Aimed at improving who gets screened and how lung cancer is diagnosed among Veterans using personalized tools.
-
Proteogenomic framework to improve lung cancer screening with biomarkers
A biomarker-based approach aims to refine LDCT lung cancer screening so more cancers are caught early while reducing unnecessary procedures.
-
Using quitlines to spread lung cancer screening information to people who smoke
A large cancer center project will test two ways of delivering lung cancer screening information to adults who smoke, using quitlines as a trusted channel to reach them.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.