A Systematic Review: Mindfulness Intervention for Cancer-Related Pain.
Srisuda Ngamkham, Janean E Holden, Ellen Lavoie Smith
Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing April 1, 2019 DOI: 10.4103/apjon.apjon_67_18 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with cancer experiencing moderate-to-severe pain |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction mindfulness-based cognitive therapy meditation with massage mindful awareness practices |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cancer Pain Nonpharmacology Unpleasant symptom |
| Key findings | Across six reviewed studies, mindfulness-based interventions were associated with improved pain severity, anxiety, stress, depression, and quality of life in patients with cancer. The authors note that most studies were conducted in the United States and Denmark and argue that further research is needed to test culturally appropriate mindfulness interventions for pain. |
Abstract
Moderate-to-severe pain is a common problem experienced by patients with cancer. Although analgesic drugs are effective, adverse side effects are common and some analgesic drugs are addictive. Nonpharmacological treatment may be a way to treat cancer pain without causing negative side effects. Mindfulness is used as an effective nonpharmacological treatment to improve quality of life (QoL) and to address psychological problems including distress, anxiety, stress, and depression. However, the effect of mindfulness on pain severity has not been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, a systematic review was undertaken to describe the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for pain and its underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. The search was conducted in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and CINAHL and included only empirical studies published from 2008 to 2017. Search terms included mindfulness, mindfulness-based intervention, meditation, cancer, pain, and cancer-related pain. Six studies met the search criteria. These studies tested several types of intervention including mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, meditation with massage, and mindful awareness practices. Study outcomes include improved pain severity, anxiety, stress, depression, and QoL. However, most studies reviewed were conducted in the United States and Denmark. Further research is needed to test culturally appropriate mindfulness interventions to reduce pain.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 26
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Mindfulness in migraine: A narrative review Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics January 14, 2020
- The efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions on mental health among university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health 2023
- Hypnosis, Meditation, and Self-Induced Cognitive Trance to Improve Post-treatment Oncological Patients' Quality of Life: Study Protocol. Frontiers in Psychology 2022
- The application of virtual reality meditation and mind-body exercises among older adults. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
and 21 more in the library
Cites 15
- Standardised Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Healthcare: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of RCTs PLoS One April 16, 2015
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation: Insights from Neurobiological, Psychological, and Clinical Studies Frontiers in Psychology March 6, 2017
- Clinical and psychological moderators of the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on persistent pain in women treated for primary breast cancer - explorative analyses from a randomized controlled trial. Acta oncologica February 2017
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Post-treatment Breast Cancer Patients: Immediate and Sustained Effects Across Multiple Symptom Clusters. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management January 2017
and 10 more in the library