Mindfulness based stress reduction provides psychological benefit and restores immune function of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer: A randomized trial with active control.
Linda Witek Janusek, Dina Tell, Herbert L Mathews
Brain, behavior, and immunity August 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.04.012 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 192 |
| Population | Women newly diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention with follow-up at 1 and 6 months post-program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR reduced psychological distress and improved immune function, including faster restoration of natural killer cell activity and favorable cytokine changes, compared to an active control condition. |
Abstract
Background: Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer experience psychological distress, accompanied by reduced Natural Killer Cell Activity (NKCA) and altered levels of cytokines, which may compromise cancer control. Few studies have evaluated psycho-immune outcomes of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in comparison to an active control condition.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether MBSR benefits psychological, behavioral, and immunological function in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
Design: After confirmation of breast cancer staging, women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (n = 192) were randomized to an 8-week MBSR program or an 8-week active control condition (ACC). The ACC consisted of a series of cancer recovery and health education classes. Both MBSR and the ACC were administered in group format.
Methods: Women completed psychometric instruments and provided blood for NKCA and cytokine levels at pre-, mid-, and completion of program, as well as at 1- and 6-months post-program. One hundred and twenty four women completed all five-assessments (MBSR, n = 63; ACC, n = 61). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze trajectories of outcomes over time and between groups.
Results: Compared to the ACC group, women randomized to MBSR exhibited decreasing trajectories of perceived stress, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depressive symptoms. Further, compared to women randomized to ACC, MBSR women exhibited trajectories demonstrating significantly more rapid restoration of NKCA, accompanied by lower circulating TNF-alpha levels, lower IL-6 production, and greater IFN-gamma production.
Conclusions: These results demonstrate early provision of MBSR for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer provides not only psychological benefit, but also optimizes immune function supportive of cancer control.