Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for Fear of Recurrence in Ovarian Cancer Survivors (FROCS): a single-arm, open-label, pilot study.
Paul A Cohen, Toni Musiello, Stephanie Jeffares, Kellie Bennett
Supportive Care in Cancer March 2022 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06659-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study, single-arm, open-label Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | Women who had completed adjuvant treatment for ovarian cancer |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention with 6-month follow-up |
| Measures | FCR inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Fear of recurrence Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Ovarian cancer Supportive care |
| Key points | Fear of cancer recurrence decreased significantly from pre-intervention (FCR inventory mean 71.03) to 8 weeks (mean 63.00) but not at 6 months (mean 63.65). Anxiety decreased from baseline (HADS mean 8.72) at both 8 weeks (6.89) and 6 months (7.06), while depression showed no differences. The authors suggest MBCT may be effective for FCR and anxiety, but note a randomized trial may not be feasible due to high withdrawal. |
Abstract
Fear of recurrence is common following treatment for cancer. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to treat fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in ovarian cancer survivors. Investigator initiated, single-arm, open-label, pilot study. Women were eligible after completing adjuvant treatment. The intervention was an 8-week MBCT course of weekly 2-h group sessions. The primary outcome was FCR measured by the FCR inventory. Secondary outcomes were depression and anxiety measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The study is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000213549. Between May 8, 2015, and May 6, 2019, 33 participants were enrolled. Ten women withdrew. Data were evaluable for 19 participants. There was a significant decrease in FCR at 8 weeks (FCR inventory mean 63.00, SD 27.90) compared to pre-intervention (FCR inventory mean 71.03, SD 31.01) but not at 6 months (FCR inventory mean 63.65, SD 30.08). No differences in depression were observed at baseline (HADS mean 3.42, SD 2.41), 8 weeks (HADS mean 3.10, SD 1.79) and 6 months (HADS mean 2.73, SD 1.88). Anxiety decreased from baseline (HADS mean 8.72, SD 3.99) at both 8 weeks (HADS mean 6.89, SD 2.98) and 6 months (HADS mean 7.06, SD 3.87). MBCT may be effective as a treatment for FCR and anxiety in women following diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. A randomised controlled trial is required to assess the efficacy of MBCT for FCR but may not be feasible due to high rates of withdrawal.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Global landscape and hotspot analysis of meditation research in cancer: a bibliometric study. Journal of Cancer Survivorship April 5, 2025
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Quality of Life and Mental Health Among Women With Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. SAGE Open Nursing 2026
- Mental Health Care among Cancer Patients with BRCA Gene Mutations: The Potential of Mindfulness-based Intervention. The Keio journal of medicine September 25, 2025
Cites 4
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in Real-World Healthcare Services Mindfulness January 12, 2019
- Face-to-Face and Internet-Based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Compared With Treatment as Usual in Reducing Psychological Distress in Patients With Cancer: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology June 28, 2018
- A qualitative study on mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer patients: how women experience participating with fellow patients. Supportive Care in Cancer October 8, 2015
- The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review May 15, 2011