Mindfulness in Follow-Up Care After Breast Cancer: Can It Prevent Recurrence?
Carola Modica, Klaus Hoenig
Breast care April 2018 DOI: 10.1159/000488716 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Breast cancer survivors in follow-up care |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Breast cancer Recurrence prevention Risk factors Somatization |
| Key findings | Argues that although increased self-awareness is beneficial for breast cancer survivors, it may trigger adverse effects such as overarousal and impaired emotional regulation in vulnerable individuals, and that clinical levels of fear of recurrence and anxiety are common. Proposes that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction appears promising for reintegrating self-observation with well-being. |
Abstract
This review focuses on the question whether mindfulness in follow-up care can contribute to the prevention of breast cancer (BC) recurrence. We first introduce behavioral risk and protective factors in follow-up care by presenting current research outcomes modulating individual risk for recurrence. We argue that although increased self-awareness is undoubtedly beneficial for BC survivors, it may also trigger adverse effects in vulnerable individuals such as overarousal and impaired emotional regulation. Indeed, research shows that many BC survivors are often confronted with clinical levels of fear of recurrence and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Research on awareness about the impact of behavior on health and fear of recurrence also offers interesting insights which can help to better understand non-compliant responses of BC survivors to medical recommendations regarding lifestyle or screening in follow-up care. Given the high rate of clinically relevant symptoms such as fear of recurrence and anxiety that may be related to dysfunctional levels of self-monitoring, we review the effects of a therapeutic intervention called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) that appears promising in reintegrating self-observation with patient well-being.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- A Theoretical Understanding of the Role of Mindfulness in Stress Among Cancer Patients Indian Journal of Health Studies 2023
- Effect of mindfulness yoga on anxiety and depression in early breast cancer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology July 5, 2022
Cites 11
- Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2007
- Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR(BC)) in breast cancer: evaluating fear of recurrence (FOR) as a mediator of psychological and physical symptoms in a randomized control trial (RCT). Journal of Behavioral Medicine November 27, 2012
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Breast Cancer—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Current Oncology October 1, 2012
- Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on attention, rumination and resting blood pressure in women with cancer: a waitlist-controlled study. Journal of Behavioral Medicine June 2012
- Mindfulness based stress reduction in post-treatment breast cancer patients: an examination of symptoms and symptom clusters. Journal of Behavioral Medicine February 2012
and 6 more in the library