A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Patients
Sanford Nidich, Jeremy Z. Fields, Maxwell V. Rainforth, Rhoda Pomerantz, David Cella, Jean L. Kristeller, John Salerno, Robert H Schneider
Integrative Cancer Therapies September 1, 2009 DOI: 10.1177/1534735409343000 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 130 |
| Population | Older women (≥55 years) with stage II to IV breast cancer |
| Interventions | Transcendental Meditation program Standard care |
| Duration | Average 18-month intervention period |
| Measures | Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP), Short-Form (SF)-36 mental health and vitality scales |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Compared with standard care alone, adding the Transcendental Meditation program significantly improved overall quality of life (FACT-B total score, P = .037), emotional well-being (P = .046), social well-being (P = .003), and SF-36 mental health (P = .017) in older breast cancer patients over an average 18-month period. |
Abstract
This single-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of the Transcendental Meditation program plus standard care as compared with standard care alone on the quality of life (QOL) of older women (≥55 years) with stage II to IV breast cancer. One hundred and thirty women (mean age = 63.8) were randomly assigned to either experimental (n = 64) or control (n = 66) groups. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy— Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP), and Short-Form (SF)-36 mental health and vitality scales were administered every 6 months over an average 18-month intervention period. Significant improvements were found in the Transcendental Meditation group compared with controls in overall QOL, measured by the FACT-B total score ( P = .037), emotional well-being ( P = .046), and social well-being ( P = .003) subscales, and SF-36 mental health ( P = .017). Results indicate that the Transcendental Meditation technique improves the QOL of older breast cancer patients. It is recommended that this stress reduction program, with its ease of implementation and home practice, be adopted in public health programs.
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 21
- Collage as a Method of Inquiry for University Women Practicing Mahavakyam Meditation: Ameliorating the Effects of Stress, Anxiety, and Sadness Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought July 3, 2014
- Eight-month intensive meditation-based intervention improves refractory hallucinations and delusions and quality of life in male inpatients with schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences April 1, 2024
- A pilot intervention to reduce burnout and enhance resilience through transcendental meditation among Georgetown University medical students. BMC Medical Education April 3, 2025
- Cost-effectiveness of Transcendental Meditation (TM) for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PLoS One 2025
- Pilot Study on Intervention in Breast Cancer Patients with Loving-Kindness and Mindfulness Meditation Japanese Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine October 31, 2022
and 16 more in the library
Cites 7
- Physiological Effects of Transcendental Meditation Science March 27, 1970
- Long-term effects of stress reduction on mortality in persons > or = 55 years of age with systemic hypertension. The American journal of cardiology May 1, 2005
- The effects of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction program on mood and symptoms of stress in cancer outpatients: 6-month follow-up. Supportive Care in Cancer March 2001
- Catecholamine levels in practitioners of the transcendental meditation technique. Physiology & Behavior January 2001
- Autonomic and EEG patterns during eyes-closed rest and transcendental meditation (TM) practice: the basis for a neural model of TM practice. Consciousness and Cognition September 1999
and 2 more in the library