Primary care physicians are far more likely than oncologists to advise patients on lifestyle changes that could improve overall health and possibly also reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, a US survey suggests.

Oncologists only rarely offer patients advice on health promotion strategies, such as weight loss and smoking cessation, researchers from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago report in the journal Cancer.

To investigate oncologist attitudes towards lifestyle counselling, they surveyed 91 Northwestern doctors, including 30 primary care physicians, 30 oncologists and 31 physicians in other specialties (including urologists, gynaecologists and dermatologists).

Nine out of 10 primary care physicians said they recommend lifestyle changes such as weight loss and smoking cessation to at least some cancer survivors.