Mindfulness Meditation for Oncology Patients: A Discussion and Critical Review

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to (1) provide a comprehensive overview and discussion of mindfulness meditation and its clinical applicability in oncology and (2) report and critically evaluate the existing and emerging research on mindfulness meditation as an intervention for cancer patients. Using relevant keywords, a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Ovid was completed along with a review of published abstracts from the annual conferences sponsored by the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society and the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Each article and abstract was critiqued and systematically assessed for purpose statement or research questions, study design, sample size, characteristics of subjects, characteristics of mindfulness intervention, outcomes, and results. The search produced 9 research articles published in the past 5 years and 5 conference abstracts published in 2004. Most studies were conducted with breast and prostate cancer patients, and the mindfulness intervention was done in a clinic-based group setting. Consistent benefitsimproved psychological functioning, reduction of stress symptoms, enhanced coping and well-being in cancer outpatients-were found. More research in this area is warranted: using randomized, controlled designs, rigorous methods, and different cancer diagnoses and treatment settings; expanding outcomes to include quality of life, physiological, health care use, and health-related outcomes; exploring mediating factors; and discerning dose effects and optimal frequency and length of home practice. Mindfulness meditation has clinically relevant implications to alleviate psychological and physical suffering of persons living with cancer. Use of this behavioral intervention for oncology patients is an area of burgeoning interest to clinicians and researchers.

Physical exercise as adjuvant therapy for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

“…In the case of an aspired stress reduction, a combination of exercise therapeutic elements with the method of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) based on Jon Kabat-Zinn ought to be useful for patients under the treatment of HSCT. 61,62 At present, a study funded by the 'German Jose´Carreras Leukemia Foundation' (Project no. R05/33f) to examine such a combined intervention approach is in preparation.…”

Mindfulness para la reducción del malestar emocional en pacientes oncológicos. Estudio comparativo con una intervención psicoeducativa estándar

“…Desde entonces, han sido numerosos los trabajos que han evaluado la eficacia del MBSR en población oncológica, quedando ésta avalada tanto a través de meta-análisis (17) como mediante una revisión crítica (18,19) . Los efectos beneficiosos se han constatado en pacientes que atravesaban la fase de tratamiento y en diferentes aspectos psicológicos como el estrés y la rumiación (20,21) .…”

Collecting systematic, introspective reports of pharmacological effects and side-effects

“…These traditions include yoga, Tai Chi, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism, to name just a few. While those from medically oriented communities are often interested in how contemplative techniques can influence patient outcomes and quality of life, particularly in the case of chronic pain or terminal illnesses [Ott et al, 2006, Sherman et al, 2005, a substantial amount of research has also taken place in the basic research setting. Modern imaging techniques and electrophysiology, such as fMRI, MEG, and EEG, have played a crucial role in these areas of research, allowing investigators to characterize the long and short-term changes taking place in the brains of advanced meditators who have devoted many thousands of hours to the practice of introspective techniques, or short-term interventions in novices.…”

“…The aim of this discipline is to take an individual's subjective experience as the basic object of scientific scrutiny. Whether in the context of fundamental research pursued by philosophers and cognitive scientists, or with the aim of introducing introspective ideas into medical practice at centers for integrative medicine, many introspective traditions from around the world are finding their way into modern science [Barnes et al, 2004, Brown and Ryan, 2003, Carlson et al, 2003, Davidson et al, 2003, Kabat-Zinn, 2003, Lazar et al, 2005, Lutz and Thompson, 2003, Lutz et al, 2004, Ott et al, 2006, Shapiro et al, 1998, Harrington and Zajonc, 2008.…”