Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fear of recurrence among breast cancer (BC) survivors. However, the effects of MBSR (BC) on telomere length (TL) and telomerase activity (TA), known markers of cellular aging, psychological stress, and disease risk, are not known. This randomized, wait-listed, controlled study, nested within a larger trial, investigated the effects of MBSR (BC) on TL and TA. BC patients (142) with Stages 0–III cancer who had completed adjuvant treatment with radiation and/or chemotherapy at least 2 weeks prior to enrollment and within 2 years of completion of treatment with lumpectomy and/or mastectomy were randomly assigned to either a 6-week MBSR for BC program or a usual care. Assessments of TA and TL were obtained along with psychological measurements at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after completing the MBSR(BC) program. The mean age of 142 participants was 55.3 years; 72% were non-Hispanic White; 78% had Stage I or II cancer; and 36% received both chemotherapy and radiation. In analyses adjusted for baseline TA and psychological status, TA increased steadily over 12 weeks in the MBSR(BC) group (approximately 17%) compared to essentially no increase in the control group (approximately 3%, p < .01). In contrast, no between-group difference was observed for TL (p = .92). These results provide preliminary evidence that MBSR(BC) increases TA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from BC patients and have implications for understanding how MBSR(BC) may extend cell longevity at the cellular level.

Background Prostate cancer treatment is often accompanied by untoward side effects. Therefore, chemoprevention to reduce the risk and inhibit the progression of prostate cancer may be an effective approach to reducing disease burden. We investigated the safety and efficacy of Polyphenon E, a green tea extract, in reducing the progression of prostate cancer in TRAMP mice. Methods 119 male TRAMP and 119 C57BL/6J mice were treated orally with one of three doses of Polyphenon E (200, 500, 1,000 mg/kg/day) in drinking water ad libitum replicating human achievable doses. Baseline assessments were performed prior to treatments. Safety and efficacy assessments during treatments were performed when mice were 12, 22 and 32 weeks old. Results The number and size of tumors in treated TRAMP mice were significantly decreased compared to untreated animals. In untreated 32 weeks old TRAMP mice, prostate carcinoma metastasis to distant sites was observed in 100% of mice (8/8), compared to 13% of mice (2/16) treated with high dose Polyphenon E during the same period. Further, Polyphenon E treatment significantly inhibited metastasis in TRAMP mice in a dose-dependent manner (P=0.0003). Long-term (32 weeks) treatment with Polyphenon E was safe and well tolerated with no evidence of toxicity in C57BL/6J mice. Conclusion Polyphenon E is an effective chemopreventive agent in preventing the progression of prostate cancer to metastasis in TRAMP mice. Polyphenon E showed no toxicity in these mouse models. Impact Our findings provide additional evidence for the safety and chemopreventive effect of Polyphenon E in preventing metastatic progression of PCa.