Successful smoking cessation is associated with a survival benefit for patients with lung cancer. However, smokers newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer and scheduled for curative resection are frequently discouraged from stopping smoking in the immediate preoperative period. This recommendation is based on the results of one single prospective cohort study published in 1998 which reported an increased risk of perioperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing non-thoracic surgery who had reduced their tobacco consumption within the two months leading up to the operation. During the past 12 years, numerous observational studies have investigated the impact of preoperative smoking cessation on perioperative risk for thoracic and non-thoracic surgery. However, no more than six studies included patients with pulmonary neoplasms. Owing to methodological limitations and considerable heterogeneity of the included patient groups, the existing data are insufficient to support or refuse any recommendation regarding cessation advice for patients during the immediate preoperative phase. In view of the post-cessation recovery time-course of pathophysiological alterations relevant to the occurrence of perioperative complications, a smoke-free preoperative interval of 2 - 6 weeks appears most favourable. However, this is difficult to achieve as a curative resection should not be postponed. Since there is no scientific evidence demonstrating a negative impact of preoperative smoking cessation on prognosis, patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer should be encouraged to make an attempt to quit while waiting for thoracic surgery.