Mindfulness and its influence on quality of life and immune response in women with breast cancer
Journal of Education, Health and Sport October 5, 2019 Katarzyna Kosz, Martyna Zielińska, Natalia Zarankiewicz et al.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) therapy improves quality of life and immune response in breast cancer patients. Breast cancer accounts for 22% of malignant tumors in women and has the highest mortality rate among this group. Diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes often cause depression, anxiety, and fatigue, lowering well-being and quality of life. MBSR reduces fatigue, depression, and anxiety, and lessens fear of relapse and emotional stress reactivity. Patients who report improved well-being during and after MBSR show higher natural killer cell activity (NKCA), suggesting MBSR can re-establish NKCA and enhance immune function.