ObjectivePatients receiving chemotherapy often experience many different symptoms that can be difficult to alleviate and ultimately negatively influence their quality of life. Such symptoms include pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and retching, anxiety and depression. There is a gap in the relevant literature on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural and relaxation techniques in symptom clusters. The study reflects this gap in the literature and aimed to test the effectiveness of Guided Imagery (GI) and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) on a cluster of symptoms experienced by patients undergoing chemotherapy.MethodsThis was a randomized control trial with 208 patients equally assigned either in the intervention or the control group. Measurements in both groups were collected at baseline and at completion of intervention (4 weeks). Patients were assessed for pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and retching, anxiety and depression. The overall management of the cluster was also assessed based on the patients’ self-reported health related quality of life-HRQoL. Chi-square tests (X2), independent T-tests and Linear Mixed Models were calculated.ResultsPatients in the intervention group experienced lower levels of Fatigue (p<0.0.0225), and Pain (p = 0.0003) compared to those in the control group and experienced better HRQoL (p<0.0001) [PRE-POST: Intervention: Pain 4.2(2.5) - 2.5(1.6), Fatigue 27.6(4.1) - 19.3(4.1), HRQoL 54.9(22.7) - 64.5(23), Control: Pain 3.5(1.7) - 4.8(1.5), Fatigue 28.7(4.1) - 32.5(3.8), HRQoL 51.9(22.3)– 41.2(24.1)]. Nausea, vomiting and retching occurred significantly less often in the intervention group [pre-post: 25.4(5.9)– 20.6(5.6) compared to the control group (17.8(6.5)– 22.7(5.3) (F = 58.50 p<0.0001). More patients in the control group (pre:n = 33-post:n = 47) were found to be moderately depressed compared to those in the intervention group (pre:n = 35-post:n = 15) (X2 = 5.93; p = 0.02).ConclusionThis study provided evidence that the combination of GI and PMR can be effective in the management of a cluster of symptoms in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. These techniques can complement existing management measures to achieve a comprehensive management of this symptom cluster and increase patients HRQoL.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01275872

ObjectiveCancer treatment is a particularly stressful period for the patient. The reasons vary and include fear of treatment outcome as well as treatment induced side effects. The patient frequently experiences simultaneously various side effects resulting in a diminishing of the patient’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The study provides evidence on the co-occurrence and inter-relations between pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in patients with breast and prostate cancer.DesignThis paper presents a secondary analysis of the data from a randomised control trial designed to test the effectiveness of guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation on pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression. Non-parametric bootstrapping analyses were used to test the mediational model of anxiety, fatigue and depression as parallel mediators of the relationship between pain and HRQoL.SettingThe study was undertaken at the home setting.ParticipantsIn total 208 patients were included in the study (assigned equally in two groups), referred at the outpatient clinics of the three participating cancer care centres.ResultsThe three mediators fully mediate the relationship between pain and HRQoL indirect effect (IEoverall=−0.3839, 95% CI: lower limit (LL)=−0.5073 to upper limit (UL)=−0.2825) indicating that patients with increased pain are likely to have higher levels of anxiety, fatigue and depression. Gender significantly moderated the mediational effect of Fatigue Index of Moderated Mediation (IMM=−0.2867 SE=0.1526, LL=−0.6127, UL=−0.0226) but did not moderate mediational effect of anxiety (IMM=−0.0709, SE=0.1414, LL=−0.3459, UL=+0.2089). The results show that the three mediators in a serial causal order fully mediate the relationship between pain and HRQoL (IEoverall=−0.384, 95% CI: LL=−0.51 to UL=−0.284) and the ratio of the overall indirect effect to the total effect is 0.8315 (95% CI: LL=0.5683 to UL=1.1718).ConclusionThis work provides evidence that targeting fatigue, anxiety and depression may have a meaningful effect on pain as a related symptom and potentially have a positive impact on HRQoL of patients with breast and prostate cancerTrial registration number NCT01275872; Post-results.