Mindfulness based stress reduction in post-treatment breast cancer patients: an examination of symptoms and symptom clusters.
Cecile A Lengacher, Richard R Reich, Janice Post-White, Manolete S Moscoso, Melissa M Shelton, Michelle Barta, Nancy Le, Pinky Budhrani
Journal of Behavioral Medicine February 2012 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-011-9346-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Breast cancer survivors who had completed treatment within 18 months of enrollment |
| Intervention | MBSR(BC) |
| Duration | 6-week post-intervention |
| Measures | M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR(BC) modestly decreased fatigue and sleep disturbances and had a greater effect on reducing symptom interference with daily life, compared to usual care, with statistically significant improvements in fatigue and disturbed sleep. |
Abstract
To investigate prevalence and severity of symptoms and symptom clustering in breast cancer survivors who attended MBSR(BC). Women were randomly assigned into MBSR(BC) or Usual Care (UC). Eligible women were ≥ 21 years, had been diagnosed with breast cancer and completed treatment within 18 months of enrollment. Symptoms and interference with daily living were measured pre- and post-MBSR(BC) using the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory. Symptoms were reported as highly prevalent but severity was low. Fatigue was the most frequently reported and severe symptom among groups. Symptoms clustered into 3 groups and improved in both groups. At baseline, both MBSR(BC) and the control groups showed similar mean symptom severity and interference; however, after the 6-week post-intervention, the MBSR(BC) group showed statistically-significant reduction for fatigue and disturbed sleep (P < 0.01) and improved symptom interference items, compared to the control group. For the between-group comparisons, 11 of 13 symptoms and 5 of 6 interference items had lower means in the MBSR(BC) condition than the control condition. These results suggest that MBSR(BC) modestly decreases fatigue and sleep disturbances, but has a greater effect on the degree to which symptoms interfere with many facets of life. Although these results are preliminary, MBSR intervention post-treatment may effectively reduce fatigue and related interference in QOL of breast cancer survivors.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 41
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Zen Meditation for Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Psychological Distress Journal of Psychiatric Practice July 1, 2012
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Investigating efficacy of two brief mind–body intervention programs for managing sleep disturbance in cancer survivors: a pilot randomized controlled trial Journal of Cancer Survivorship January 21, 2013
- The Effect of Meditation-Based Interventions on Patients with Fatigue Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psychologica Belgica 2023
- The impact of mindfulness intervention on negative emotions and quality of life in malignant tumor patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
and 36 more in the library
Cites 10
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2000
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Teaching and Learning in Medicine April 1, 2003
- Evaluation of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program for Caregivers of Children with Chronic Conditions Social Work in Health Care May 24, 2006
- Feasibility of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for early-stage breast cancer survivors. Journal of Holistic Nursing June 2011
and 5 more in the library