Cancer
-
Review Case Reports
Successes and failures of the teachable moment: smoking cessation in cancer patients.
Successful cancer treatment can be significantly compromised by continued tobacco use. Because motivation and interest in smoking cessation increase after cancer diagnosis, a window of opportunity exists during which healthcare providers can intervene and assist in the quitting process. ⋯ Despite the importance of stopping smoking for all cancer patients, the diagnosis of cancer is underused as a teachable moment for smoking cessation. More research is needed to empirically test cessation interventions for cancer patients, and attention must be given to complex and unique issues when tailoring cessation treatment to these individuals.