Using mindfulness to help cancer survivors quit smoking
Official title: Mindfulness-based ecological momentary intervention for smoking cessation among cancer survivors
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11231965 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a mindfulness app can help cancer survivors quit smoking by giving them support and tools to handle triggers that make them want to smoke, making it easier for them to stay smoke-free.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00CA271040-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11231965 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer survivors who currently smoke or have recently quit and are at risk of relapse.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not smoke or have never smoked may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how mindfulness-based interventions can support cancer survivors in quitting smoking by addressing both cancer-specific and general smoking triggers. It utilizes a mobile app to deliver real-time support, making it accessible and convenient for patients. The approach focuses on enhancing awareness and reducing reactivity to smoking cues, which is crucial for preventing relapse. By understanding the unique challenges faced by cancer survivors, this research aims to create a tailored intervention that meets their specific needs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve smoking cessation rates among cancer survivors, leading to better health outcomes and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions can be effective in promoting smoking cessation, particularly in populations with high stress levels, such as cancer survivors.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Min-Jeong — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Yang, Min-Jeong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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On-the-go mindfulness support to quit smoking for cancer survivors
This project offers brief mindfulness exercises delivered on smartphones to help cancer survivors stay smoke-free.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
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I-STOP: a mobile health program to help people with HIV quit smoking
A smartphone-based program designed to help people with HIV quit smoking in a sustainable, affordable way.
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Smoking cessation help for people with HIV in South Africa
A program is being tested to help people living with HIV in South Africa quit smoking in ways that fit low-resource clinics and show good value.
-
Mobile tools to understand how sleep affects quitting smoking
This project uses a smartphone to track sleep and smoking in lower-income adults trying to quit to find how sleep patterns relate to staying smoke-free.
-
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.
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.