Mindfulness and its influence on quality of life and immune response in women with breast cancer
Katarzyna Kosz, Martyna Zielińska, Natalia Zarankiewicz, Aleksandra Kuchnicka, Jakub Aleksandrowicz, Katarzyna Książek, Sylwia Mojsym-Korybska
Journal of Education, Health and Sport October 5, 2019 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3380716 (opens in new tab) via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMindfulness-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.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Breast cancer patients |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Breast cancer Mindfulness-based stress reduction Quality of life |
| Key finding | MBSR therapy reduces fatigue, depression, and anxiety, and improves quality of life and natural killer cell activity in breast cancer patients. |
Abstract
Mindfulness therapy is a psychological process, which main purpose is to concentrate attention on internal and external stimuli in the present moment. Practising mindfulness is correlated with well-being, greater energy and enthusiasm as well as the ability to cope with stressful situations. Breast cancer accounts for 22% of all malignant tumors in women. It is characterized by the highest mortality rate among all malignancies in this group. Diagnosis, applied treatment and changes in the women’s lifestyle may have a negative impact on their psyche. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety and fatigue often appear in patients diagnosed with breast cancer. These can lead to a decreased well-being and lower quality of life. Studies show that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) therapy has a positive impact on the quality of life of patients suffering from breast cancer. What is more, those patients may have a worse immune response and less natural killers cells activity (NKCA) than people who doesn not have a cancer disease. MBSR can re-establish NKCA and improve immune response. Patients who have noticed an improvement in their well-being during and after MBSR therapy showed higher NKCA. There is no doubt that MBSR therapy reduces the level of fatigue, depression and anxiety. Moreover, patients who undergo MBSR therapy are less afraid of a relapse and have less reactivity to the emotional stress.