Effects of meditation compared to music listening on biomarkers in breast cancer survivors with cognitive complaints: secondary outcomes of a pilot randomized control trial.

Context: We previously reported positive behavioral effects of both daily mantra meditation and classical music listening interventions in breast cancer survivors with cancer related cognitive complaints.

Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to compare the effects of the meditation intervention to a music listening intervention on biomarkers of inflammation and cellular aging (secondary outcomes) in breast cancer survivors.

Design: Randomized control trial, baseline data collection (time 1), post intervention data collection (time 2)

Setting: Community-based, Central Texas

Participants: 25 breast cancer survivors (BCS) who were 3 months to 6 years post chemotherapy completion and reported cognitive changes. Intervention(s): Kirtan Kriya meditation (KK) or classical music listening (ML), 8 weeks, 12 min a day MAIN OUTCOME: Telomerase activity [TA], c-reactive protein [CRP], soluble IL-2 receptor alpha [sIL-2Rα], soluble IL-4 receptor [sIL-4R], soluble IL-6 receptor [sIL-6R], soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II [sTNF-RII], VEGF receptor 2 [sVEGF-R2], and VEGF receptor 3 [sVEGF-R3]

Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance models were analyzed from time 1 to time 2 by group for each biomarker. A pattern of greater telomerase activity across time in both groups (F (1,15) = 3.98, p = .06, ω2 = 0.04); significant decreases in sIL-4R across time for both groups (F (1,22) = 6.28, p = .02, ω2 = .003); group*time effect was nominally different but not statistically different for sIL-4R (F(1,22) = 3.82, p = .06, ω2 = .001); and a pattern for a group*time effect with ML group showing higher levels of sVEGF-R3 at time 2 (F (1,20) = 2.59, p = .12, ω2 = .009). No significant effects were found for CRP, sIL-2Rα, sIL-6R, sTNF-RII, or sVEGF-R2.