Smoking cessation among patients in a cancer clinic: evaluation of a novel, motivational stop-smoking pocket calendar.

BACKGROUND: Patients with smoking-related cancer have higher risks for recurrence if they continue to smoke. METHODS: To encourage cancer patients to quit smoking a motivational pocket calendar with information about smoking and cancer, tips for stopping, and logs for monitoring was distributed among 32 patients, along with a baseline questionnaire. RESULTS: After 3 months, patients completed a second questionnaire. Twenty-one patients completed both questionnaires; 5 (24%) had quit smoking. The average number of cigarettes smoked per day dropped from 25.3 at baseline to 15.8 (P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: A pocket calendar appears to be a useful adjunct for smoking cessation.