Mindfulness-based interventions for women with breast cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

The impact of mindfulness intervention on negative emotions and quality of life in malignant tumor patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

This study aims to assess the effect of mindfulness intervention on negative emotions (anxiety and depression) and quality of life in malignant tumor patients.

Methods

The databases, including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database disc (CBMdisc), PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science (WoS), were searched from inception to January 2024. Randomized controlled trials examining the effects of mindfulness intervention on negative emotions and quality of life in malignant tumor patients were selected. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.1.

Results

A total of 11 studies involving 993 patients were included. Compared with usual care, mindfulness intervention effectively reduced anxiety [SMD = -0.81, 95% CI (-1.01, -0.60), p < 0.00001], depression [SMD = -0.86, 95% CI (-1.01, -0.70), p < 0.00001], and improved patients' quality of life [SMD = 0.64, 95% CI (0.50, 0.78), p < 0.00001].

Conclusion

Mindfulness intervention can effectively alleviate negative emotions such as anxiety and depression in malignant tumor patients and positively impact their quality of life.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Uncover Insights From Breast Cancer Patients' Perceptions to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Interventions

The study's central objective is to harness the power of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), in particular based on Large Language Models, as a valuable resource for delving deeper into the insights offered by patients with breast cancer (BC) who actively participated in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. In a 6-week MBSR program, each session lasted 2 hours and encompassed a range of techniques, including sitting meditation, body scan, Hatha yoga, and walking meditation. A total of 25 participants were enrolled in the study. The majority of these participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the mindfulness course. The application of generative AI enabled a comprehensive analysis of the participants' responses, revealing distinct subgroups among them. The MBSR program was found to be beneficial for most participants, serving as a valuable tool in managing the psychological stresses associated with BC.

Comparative effect of different mindfulness-based intervention types and deliveries on depression in patients with breast cancer: a protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer has become the most common cancer worldwide. Various types of mindfulness-based interventions (e.g., mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction) have been conducted in different delivery methods (including face to face and internet delivered) to help patients with breast cancer mitigate their depression. However, at present, there are no studies that compare the effectiveness of all these types and deliveries of mindfulness-based interventions. Therefore, this protocol aims to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of various types and deliveries of mindfulness-based interventions in mitigating depression in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

This protocol is according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). The electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, The China National Knowledge Infrastructure and OpenGrey, will be comprehensively retrieved for related randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to December 2023. Two reviewers will independently assess the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomised Trials 2.0 (RoB 2.0). The network meta-analysis will be performed using the STATA V.16.0, and the assessment of heterogeneity, inconsistency, publication bias, evidence quality, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses will be conducted.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This protocol does not require approval from an ethics committee as it is based on previous research findings. The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42024495996.

Leisure-time physical activity is associated with depressive symptoms in cancer patients: Data from the NHANES 2007-2018

BACKGROUND

Cancer patients have a higher risk of depression and are associated with severe adverse prognosis. The relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and depressive symptoms in cancer patients is currently unclear. Therefore, our study mainly explores the potential association between LTPA and the weekly cumulative time of LTPA with depressive symptoms in cancer patients.

METHODS

We included and analyzed 3368 cancer patients (aged >20 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of the United States from 1999 to 2018. The LTPA score was evaluated through a self-report questionnaire, while depressive symptoms were evaluated through the Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between LTPA duration and the occurrence of cancer-related depressiive symptoms. Linear correlation was studied using the restricted cubic spline method.

RESULTS

According to a fully adjusted multivariate logistic regression model with confounding variables, the odds ratio (OR) between LTPA and depressive symptoms in cancer patients in this study was 0.59 (95 % confidence interval = 0.39, 0.92; P = 0.02). When the LTPA level was ≥300 min/week, the incidence of depressive symptoms was reduced by 59 % (OR = 0.41, 95 % CI = 0.21, 0.83). In addition, the cubic spline method was used to obtain a linear negative correlation between LTPA duration and tumor depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

LTPA was negatively correlated with cancer-related depressive symptoms, and the cumulative time of LTPA/week was linearly correlated with depressive symptoms. The slope of the benefit curve changed significantly when the cumulative time of LTPA reached 600 min per week, suggesting that appropriately increasing LTPA had significant benefits on mental health of cancer patients.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on quality of life of breast cancer patient: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy that occurs in women. Due to the pain caused by the disease itself and the adverse reactions in the treatment process, breast cancer patients are prone to anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and other negative emotions, which seriously affect the quality of life. As a systematic stress reduction therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction is widely applied to the treatment of breast cancer patients and has been found by a growing number of studies to relieve stress, regulate mood, and improve the state. However, due to the absence of recent research and uniform outcome measures, previous studies have failed to fully explain the role of mindfulness-based stress reduction in improving the quality of life in breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate and compare the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy and standard care on the quality of life and psychological status of breast cancer patients.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China's National Knowledge Infrastructure and the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials up to July 2023 to identify candidate randomized clinical trials addressing the values of mindfulness-based stress reduction in breast cancer patients.

RESULTS

A total of 1644 patients participated in 11 randomized controlled trials. The results of the meta-analysis showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy can significantly reduce negative emotions such as perceived stress (MD = -1.46, 95%CI = -2.53 to -0.38, p = 0.03), depression (MD = -1.84, 95%CI = -3.99 to -0.30, p = 0.0004), anxiety (MD = -2.81, 95%CI = -5.31 to -0.32, p = 0.002), and fear of recurrence (MD = -1.27, 95%CI = -3.44 to 0.90, p = 0.0004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy also has certain advantages in improving the coping ability (MD = 1.26, 95%CI = -3.23 to5.76, p = 0.03) and the emotional state (MD = -7.73, 95%CI = -27.34 to 11.88, p = 0.0007) of patients with breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

Our analyses support that, compared with standard care, mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy can significantly improve patients' coping ability, reduce adverse emotions and improve patients' emotional states.

Fostering quality of life in young adults living with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study of a co-created integrated intervention

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is generally diagnosed at an early age, making the acceptance of this chronic disease challenging. Research dedicated to young adults with MS (YawMS) is still limited. A biopsychosocial co-created intervention for YawMS integrating social, physical and psychological activities was developed (ESPRIMO intervention) in order to improve the quality of life (QoL) and well-being. This pre-post intervention assessment study examines the feasibility of the ESPRIMO intervention and its signal of efficacy.

Methods

Inclusion criteria were: age 18-45 years, MS diagnosis, Expanded Disability Status Scale score < 3.5. After giving informed consent, YawMS completed a battery of questionnaires, which was repeated after the intervention. The battery included a bespoke feasibility scale, the COOP/WONCA charts, and the Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12).

Results

Fifty-three YAwMS were enrolled and 43 (81.1%) completed the intervention. The majority of the sample positively rated the pleasantness, usefulness and feasibility of the intervention. A significant change in the COOP/WONCA "general QoL" chart (t = 3.65; p < 0.01) and SF-12 mental wellbeing component (t = -3.17; p < 0.01) was found.

Discussion

ESPRIMO is an innovative intervention that is feasible; preliminary results show an improvement in QoL and mental wellbeing. Further studies are needed to test its efficacy and evaluate future implementation in health services.Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04431323.

Effectiveness of a community-based multicomponent lifestyle intervention (the ADA programme) to improve the quality of life of French breast cancer survivors: protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised trial and embedded qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer survivors (BCSs) are often faced with multiple mental and physical sequelae and are at increased risk of emotional distress, degraded health-related quality of life (HRQoL), chronic pain and fatigue.Physical activity is strongly associated with improved HRQoL and survival rates; however, adherence rates to recommendations for a healthy lifestyle are seldom satisfactory among BCSs. Also, few studies have examined the effectiveness of multicomponent and personalised interventions that integrate physical activity and motivational techniques to improve the HRQoL of BCS.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

"Activité physique adaptée Doublée d'un Accompagnement d'après cancer" (ADA) is an integrated programme of physical activity enriched with a dietary and supportive care approach targeting BCS in the early post-treatment phase. The effectiveness of the ADA intervention will be evaluated using a cluster randomised controlled trial design with two arms (ADA programme vs usual care; 1:1 ratio).The ADA intervention aims to recruit 160 participants and will be implemented by Siel Bleu, a non-profit association specialised in health prevention via adapted physical activity. Measurements will be performed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months after the start of the intervention. The primary outcome will be participants' HRQoL, at 12 months measured by the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue global score. Secondary outcome will include participants' physical, social, emotional and functional well-being. The effect of the intervention on physical activity level, motivation for physical activity, relation to food and self-efficacy will also be evaluated.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study was approved by the 'CPP Paris XI' Institutional Review Board on 5 May 2022 (Ref no.: 21.04512.000048-22004). The study's findings will be shared through various channels, including academic publications, simplified reports for wider audiences and active engagement with medical and institutional organisations as well as patients' associations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05658341.

Reflective Engagement With a Digital Physical Activity Intervention Among People Living With and Beyond Breast Cancer: Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

People living with and beyond breast cancer can face internal barriers to physical activity (eg, fatigue and pain). Digital interventions that promote psychological acceptance and motivation may help this population navigate these barriers. The degree to which individuals (1) adhere to intervention protocols and (2) reflect on and internalize intervention content may predict intervention efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to characterize the nature of reflective processes brought about by an 8-week acceptance- and mindfulness-based physical activity intervention for insufficiently active survivors of breast cancer (n=75). Furthermore, we explored the potential utility of a metric of reflective processes for predicting study outcomes.

METHODS

Of the intervention's 8 weekly modules, 7 (88%) included an item that asked participants to reflect on what they found to be most useful. Two coders conducted directed content analysis on participants' written responses. They assessed each comment's depth of reflection using an existing framework (ranging from 0 to 4, with 0=simple description and 4=fundamental change with consideration of social and ethical issues). The coders identified themes within the various levels of reflection. We fit multiple linear regression models to evaluate whether participants' (1) intervention adherence (ie, number of modules completed) and (2) the mean level of the depth of reflection predicted study outcomes.

RESULTS

Participants were aged on average 57.2 (SD 11.2) years, mostly non-Hispanic White (58/75, 77%), and mostly overweight or obese (54/75, 72%). Of the 407 responses to the item prompting personal reflection, 70 (17.2%) were rated as reflection level 0 (ie, description), 247 (60.7%) were level 1 (ie, reflective description), 74 (18.2%) were level 2 (ie, dialogic reflection), 14 (3.4%) were level 3 (ie, transformative reflection), and 2 (0.5%) were level 4 (ie, critical reflection). Lower levels of reflection were characterized by the acquisition of knowledge or expressing intentions. Higher levels were characterized by personal insight, commentary on behavior change processes, and a change of perspective. Intervention adherence was associated with increases in self-reported weekly bouts of muscle-strengthening exercise (B=0.26, SE 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.50) and decreases in sleep disturbance (B=-1.04, SE 0.50, 95% CI -0.06 to -2.02). The mean level of reflection was associated with increases in psychological acceptance (B=3.42, SE 1.70, 95% CI 0.09-6.75) and motivation for physical activity (ie, integrated regulation: B=0.55, SE 0.25, 95% CI 0.06-1.04).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a useful method for understanding the reflective processes that can occur during digital behavior change interventions serving people living with and beyond breast cancer. Intervention adherence and the depth of reflection each predicted changes in study outcomes. Deeper reflection on intervention content was associated with beneficial changes in the determinants of sustained behavior change. More research is needed to investigate the relations among digital behavior change intervention use, psychological processes, and intervention efficacy.

Pilot pragmatic randomized trial of mHealth mindfulness-based intervention for advanced cancer patients and their informal caregivers

OBJECTIVE

Assess the feasibility of conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing technology-delivered mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) programs against a waitlist control arm targeting advanced cancer patients and their informal caregivers.

METHODS

Two-arm cluster RCT within Kaiser Permanente Northern California. We recruited patients with metastatic solid malignancies or hematological cancers and their informal caregivers. Intervention-group participants chose to use either a commercially available mindfulness app (10-20 min/day) or a webinar-based mindfulness course for 6 weeks. The waitlist control group received usual care. We assessed feasibility measures and obtained participant-reported data on quality of life (QoL; primary outcome) and distress outcomes (secondary) pre- and postintervention.

RESULTS

A hundred and three patients (median age 67 years; 70% female; 81% White) and 39 caregivers (median age 66 years; 79% female; 69% White) were enrolled. Nearly all participants chose the mindfulness app over the webinar-based program. Among the participants in the intervention arm who chose the mobile-app program and completed the postintervention (6-week) survey, 21 (68%) patients and 7 (47%) caregivers practiced mindfulness at least 50% of the days during the 6-week study period. Seventy-four percent of intervention participants were "very" or "extremely" satisfied with the mindfulness program. We observed improvements in anxiety, QoL, and mindfulness among patients in the intervention arm compared to those in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a cluster RCT of mHealth MBI for advanced cancer patients and their caregivers. Such remote interventions can be helpful particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online mindfulness-based stress reduction improves anxiety and depression status and quality of life in caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders

OBJECTIVES

To explore the effects of online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the anxiety and depression status, and quality of life in the caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders.

METHODS

Ninety-three caregivers for patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, who were hospitalized in Yunnan Provincial Mental Hospital in March 2021, were enrolled and randomly divided into control group (n=47) and MBSR intervention group (n=46). Both groups received basic health education and rehabilitation skill training, while the intervention group received additional online MBSR for 8 weeks. The anxiety and depression status, and the quality of life of the caregivers were evaluated by Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) before and 8 weeks after intervention, respectively.

RESULTS

Thirteen caregivers dropped out of the study, and 80 subjects (40 in each group) were included in the final analysis. At the baseline, there were no significant differences in SAS, SDS and SF-36 scores between two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the baseline, SAS and SDS scores in the intervention group significantly decreased after 8 weeks of intervention (both P<0.01) and were significantly lower than those in the control group (both P<0.01). There were no significant changes in the control group (all P>0.05). Except the physiological function dimension, the total score and the scores of each dimension of SF-36 in the intervention group were significantly increased after 8-week intervention (all P<0.05), and were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.01). There were no significant changes in the control group before and after intervention (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Online MBSR can reduce the anxiety and depression levels, improve the quality of life in the caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders.

The gift of here and now at the end of life: Mindful living and dignified dying among Asian terminally ill patients

OBJECTIVES

In Chochinov's dignity model, living in the here and now (mindful living) is explicitly stated as a dignity-conserving practice. However, what facilitates mindful living remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the mechanisms of mindful living among Asian terminally ill patients.

METHODS

This interpretative phenomenological analysis comprised patients aged 50 and above with a prognosis of less than 12 months. Fifty interview transcripts from a larger Family Dignity Intervention study conducted in Singapore were used for the analysis.

RESULTS

Findings revealed 12 themes that were organized into 3 axioms of mindful living for dignified dying: (a) purposive self-awareness, (b) family-centered attention, and (c) attitudes of mortality acceptance. Through purposive self-awareness, patients introspected their lived experience with illness and anticipated death to find resilience and contentment. Patients' conscious family-centered attention revolved around their relationships, achievements, and legacy within the family, leading to a deepened sense of interconnectedness with self and beloved others at life's end. Lastly, patients adopted nonjudgmental attitudes of mortality acceptance as they made necessary arrangements in preparation for their death, allowing them to treasure every living moment and obtain a closure in life. An empirical model of mindful living for dignified dying was developed based on these emerging themes, illustrating the interweaving of intention, attention, and attitude for facilitating meaningful living in the face of mortality.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

Mindful living is a dignity-preserving practice, which helps terminally ill patients to find tranquility in each present moment despite their impending death. The identified mechanisms of mindful living lay important groundwork for a new understanding and possible directions for culture-specific, mindfulness-based, family-centered interventions suited to terminally ill patients in the Asian context.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Culturally Adapted, Community-Based, Remotely Delivered Mindfulness Program for Latinx Patients With Breast Cancer is Acceptable and Feasible While Reducing Anxiety

Background/Objective

Few Spanish mindfulness interventions have been evaluated in Latinx patients with cancer. We culturally adapted a mindfulness intervention for Spanish speaking Latinx patients. The objective was to measure feasibility and acceptability as primary outcomes, with changes in anxiety, depression, and sleep as secondary outcomes.

Method

Spanish-speaking Latinx patients with breast cancer (n = 31) were randomized, between April 2021 and May 2022 to either intervention or wait-list control groups. The mindfulness intervention consisted of 6-weekly 1.5-hour sessions remotely delivered by a novice facilitator. Cultural adaptations included language, metaphor, goal, concept, trauma informed, and acknowledgement of spirituality. Feasibility was benchmarked as 75% of participants attending their first session, 75% of participants completing 4 of 6 sessions, and scoring ≥ 4 on a 5-point Likert feasability scale measuring ability to implement changes after 6-weeks. Acceptability was measured as scoring ≥ 4 on a 5-point Likert scale measuring usefulness and relevance of the mindfulness intervention for each session. An intention-to-treat, linear mixed model with repeated measures analysis examined changes in anxiety, depression, and sleep at week 6 and 18 (3 months post intervention).

Results

All three feasibility benchmarks were met with 75% of first session attendance, 96% of participants completing 4 of 6 sessions, and 94% scoring ≥ 4, on the feasibility scale (Mean (SD) = 4.3 (0.6)). Acceptability scores for both usefulness and relevance questions were ≥ 4 across all 6 sessions. Anxiety was significantly reduced at 3 months (-3.6 (CI -6.9, -0.2), P = .04), but is of unclear clinical significance given the small change. Depression scores declined, but not significantly, and there were no changes in sleep.

Conclusion

This culturally adapted, remotely delivered mindfulness intervention using a novice facilitator was acceptable and feasible and demonstrated associated reductions in anxiety amongst Spanish speaking Latinx patients with breast cancer.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ID# NCT04834154.

Interdisciplinary Integrative Oncology Group-Based Program: Evaluation of Long-Term Effects on Resilience and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients With Cancer

BACKGROUND

Cancer often causes reduced resilience, quality of life (QoL) and poorer overall well-being. To mitigate these problems, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used among patients with cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of an interdisciplinary integrative oncology group-based program (IO-GP) on the resilience and use of CAM in patients with cancer.

METHODS

This was a prospective, observational, single-center study. Resilience (RS-13), CAM usage (I-CAM-G), QoL (SF-12) and health-related lifestyle factor (nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical exercise) data were collected for 70 patients who participated in a 10-week IO-GP between January 2019 and June 2022 due to cancer. The IO-GP is offered at the setting of a university hospital and is open to adult patients with cancer. It contains elements from mind-body medicine and positive psychology, as well as recommendations on healthy diet, exercise and CAM approaches. Patients who completed the IO-GP at least 12 months prior (1-4.5 years ago) were included in this study. Statistical analysis included descriptive analysis and parametric and nonparametric tests to identify significant differences (P < .05).

RESULTS

Resilience increased significantly ≥12 months after participation in the IO-GP (n = 44, P = .006, F = 8.274) and had a medium effect size (r = .410). The time since the IO-GP was completed ("12-24 months," "24-36 months," and ">36 months") showed no statistically significant interaction with changes in resilience (P = .226, F = 1.544). The most frequently used CAM modalities within the past 12 months were vitamins/minerals (85.7%), relaxation techniques (54.3%), herbs and plant medicine (41.1%), yoga (41.4%) and meditation (41.4%). The IO-GP was the most common source informing study participants about relaxation techniques (n = 24, 64.9%), meditation (n = 21, 72.4%) and taking vitamin D (n = 16, 40.0%). Significantly greater levels of resilience were found in those practicing meditation (P = .010, d = -.642) or visualization (P = .003, d = -.805) compared to non-practitioners.

CONCLUSION

IO-GPs have the potential to empower patients with cancer to continue using CAM practices-especially from mind-body medicine-even 1 to 4.5 years after completing the program. Additionally, resilience levels increased. These findings provide notable insight into the long-term effects of integrative oncology interventions on resilience and the use of CAM, especially in patients with breast cancer.

Clinical guidelines for managing menopausal symptoms in women with (a history of) breast cancer

Background

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time of diagnosis, 75% of patients are postmenopausal. Many will receive anti-hormone therapy, which often induces menopausal symptoms. Premenopausal breast cancer patients frequently become postmenopausal as a result of the treatment and often experience menopausal symptoms. The increased incidence of breast cancer, combined with longer survival, has led to an increase in the number of women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Therefore, the management of menopausal symptoms in women with a history or current breast cancer is a relevant and common clinical problem.

Objectives

To provide a clinically useful overview of the steps in the management of menopausal symptoms in women with (a history of) breast cancer.

Materials and Methods

A comprehensive literature review was conducted by authors JS and WT using the PubMed and Medline databases. Abstracts were critically appraised and, where appropriate, the full text was analysed.

Main Outcome Measures

Not applicable.

Results

Depending on the condition, either meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials or retrospective cohorts were identified. No evidence was found for some proposed treatments.

Conclusions

Menopausal symptoms in women with (a history of) breast cancer require a patient-tailored approach. Shared decision making is paramount and adequate up-to-date knowledge can help the breast cancer specialist to advise and guide patients accordingly.

What is new?

A comprehensive, clinically-based overview of evidence-based treatment options for menopausal symptoms in women with (a history of) breast cancer.

Evaluating the effectiveness of mindfulness alone compared to exercise and mindfulness on fatigue in women with gynaecology cancer (GEMS): Protocol for a randomised feasibility trial

BACKGROUND

In 2020 Globocan reported nearly 1.4 million new cases of gynaecology cancer worldwide. Cancer related fatigue has been identified as a symptom that can be present for gynaecology cancer patients many years after treatment. The current evidence around the management of this symptom suggests that exercise has the most positive outcome. However, some ambiguity remains around the evidence and whether it can address all areas of fatigue effectively. More recently, other interventions such as mindfulness have begun to show a favourable response to the management of symptoms for cancer patients. To date there has been little research that explores the feasibility of using both these interventions together in a gynaecology cancer population. This study aims to explore the feasibility of delivering an intervention that involves mindfulness and mindfulness and exercise and will explore the effect of this on fatigue, sleep, mood and quality of life.

METHODS/DESIGN

This randomised control trial will assess the interventions outcomes using a pre and post design and will also include a qualitative process evaluation. Participants will be randomised into one of 2 groups. One group will undertake mindfulness only and the other group will complete exercise and mindfulness. Both groups will use a mobile application to complete these interventions over 8 weeks. The mobile app will be tailored to reflect the group the participants have drawn during randomisation. Self-reported questionnaire data will be assessed at baseline prior to commencing intervention and at post intervention. Feasibility will be assessed through recruitment, adherence, retention and attrition. Acceptability and participant perspective of participation (process evaluation), will be explored using focus groups.

DISCUSSION

This trial will hope to evidence and demonstrate that combination of two interventions such as mindfulness and exercise will further improve outcomes of fatigue and wellbeing in gynaecology cancer. The results of this study will be used to assess (i) the feasibility to deliver this type of intervention to this population of cancer patients using a digital platform; (ii) assist this group of women diagnosed with cancer to manage fatigue and other symptoms of sleep, mood and impact their quality of life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05561413.

Changes of Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue in Cancer Patients 3 Months after a Video-Based Intervention

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing restricted psycho-oncological care. Therefore, this secondary analysis examines the changes in anxiety, fear of progression, fatigue, and depression in cancer patients after a video-based eHealth intervention. We used a prospective observational design with 155 cancer patients with mixed tumor entities. Data were assessed before and after the intervention and at a three-month follow-up using self-reported questionnaires (GAD-7, FOP-Q-SF, PHQ-8, and EORTC QLQ-FA12). The eight videos included psychoeducation, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy elements, and yoga and qigong exercises. The results showed that three months after finishing the video-based intervention, participants showed significantly reduced fear of progression (d = -0.23), depression (d = -0.27), and fatigue (d = -0.24) compared to the baseline. However, there was no change in anxiety (d = -0.09). Findings indicated marginal improvements in mental distress when using video-based intervention for cancer patients for up to three months, but long-term effectiveness must be confirmed using a controlled design.

Postmastectomy Pain Syndrome: A Narrative Review

Postmastectomy pain syndrome is a very common disorder in breast cancer survivors. The impact on the quality of patients' lives is significantly adverse. The precise pathophysiology has not been determined as yet though various risk factors have been identified that make the patient vulnerable. Required preoperative work includes the identification and possible elimination of risk factors. Treatment is multidisciplinary involving surgical and non-surgical modalities. There is a great scope of research in this field.

Integrative Oncology Care of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Adults With Cancer: Society for Integrative Oncology-ASCO Guideline

PURPOSE

To provide evidence-based recommendations to health care providers on integrative approaches to managing anxiety and depression symptoms in adults living with cancer.

METHODS

The Society for Integrative Oncology and ASCO convened an expert panel of integrative oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, palliative oncology, social sciences, mind-body medicine, nursing, methodology, and patient advocacy representatives. The literature search included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials published from 1990 through 2023. Outcomes of interest included anxiety or depression symptoms as measured by validated psychometric tools, and adverse events. Expert panel members used this evidence and informal consensus with the Guidelines into Decision Support methodology to develop evidence-based guideline recommendations.

RESULTS

The literature search identified 110 relevant studies (30 systematic reviews and 80 randomized controlled trials) to inform the evidence base for this guideline.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations were made for mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), yoga, relaxation, music therapy, reflexology, and aromatherapy (using inhalation) for treating symptoms of anxiety during active treatment; and MBIs, yoga, acupuncture, tai chi and/or qigong, and reflexology for treating anxiety symptoms after cancer treatment. For depression symptoms, MBIs, yoga, music therapy, relaxation, and reflexology were recommended during treatment, and MBIs, yoga, and tai chi and/or qigong were recommended post-treatment.

DISCUSSION

Issues of patient-health care provider communication, health disparities, comorbid medical conditions, cost implications, guideline implementation, provider training and credentialing, and quality assurance of natural health products are discussed. While several approaches such as MBIs and yoga appear effective, limitations of the evidence base including assessment of risk of bias, nonstandardization of therapies, lack of diversity in study samples, and lack of active control conditions as well as future research directions are discussed.Additional information is available at www.asco.org/survivorship-guidelines.

Heterogeneity of posttraumatic stress, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer survivors: a latent class analysis

PURPOSE

Breast cancer survivors may demonstrate elevated psychological distress, which can also hinder adherence to survivorship care plans. Our goal was to study heterogeneity of behavioral health and functioning in breast cancer survivors, and identify both risk and protective factors to improve targets for wellness interventions.

METHODS

Breast cancer survivors (n = 187) consented to complete self-reported psychological measures and to access their medical records. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to classify heterogeneous subpopulations based on levels of depression, post-traumatic stress, fear of cancer recurrence, cancer-related pain, and fatigue. Multinomial logistic regression and auxiliary analysis in a 3-step modeling conditional approach was used to identify characteristics of the group based on demographics, treatment history and characteristics, and current medication prescriptions.

RESULTS

Three subpopulations of breast cancer survivors were identified from the LCA: a modal Resilient group (48.2%, n = 90), a Moderate Symptoms group (34%, n = 65), and an Elevated Symptoms group (n = 17%, n = 32) with clinically-relevant impairment. Results from the logistic regression indicated that individuals in the Elevated Symptoms group were less likely to have a family history of breast cancer; they were more likely to be closer to time of diagnosis and younger, have received chemotherapy and psychotropic prescriptions, and have higher BMI. Survivors in the Elevated Symptoms group were also less likely to be prescribed estrogen inhibitors than the Moderate Symptoms group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified subgroups of breast cancer survivors based on behavioral, psychological, and treatment-related characteristics, with implications for targeted monitoring and survivorship care plans.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Results showed the majority of cancer survivors were resilient, with minimal psychological distress. Results also suggest the importance of paying special attention to younger patients getting chemotherapy, especially those without a family history of breast cancer.

Digital Cognitive Behavioral- and Mindfulness-Based Stress-Management Interventions for Survivors of Breast Cancer: Development Study

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial stress-management interventions can reduce stress and distress and improve the quality of life for survivors of cancer. As these in-person interventions are not always offered or accessible, evidence-informed digital stress-management interventions may have the potential to improve outreach of psychosocial support for survivors of cancer. Few such digital interventions exist so far, few if any have been developed specifically for survivors of breast cancer, and few if any have attempted to explore more than 1 distinct type of intervention framework.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop 2 digital psychosocial stress-management interventions for survivors of breast cancer; 1 cognitive behavioral therapy-based intervention (CBI), and 1 mindfulness-based intervention (MBI).

METHODS

The development of the CBI and MBI interventions originated from the existing StressProffen program, a digital stress-management intervention program for survivors of cancer, based on a primarily cognitive behavioral therapeutic concept. Development processes entailed a multidisciplinary design approach and were iteratively conducted in close collaboration between key stakeholders, including experts within psychosocial oncology, cancer epidemiology, stress-management, and eHealth as well as survivors of breast cancer and health care providers. Core psychosocial oncology stress-management and cancer epidemiology experts first conducted a series of workshops to identify cognitive behavioral and mindfulness specific StressProffen content, overlapping psychoeducational content, and areas where development and incorporation of new material were needed. Following the program content adaptation and development phase, phases related to user testing of new content and technical, privacy, security, and ethical aspects and adjustments ensued. Intervention content for the distinct CBI and MBI interventions was refined in iterative user-centered design processes and adjusted to electronic format through stakeholder-centered iterations.

RESULTS

For the CBI version, the mindfulness-based content of the original StressProffen was removed, and for the MBI version, cognitive behavioral content was removed. Varying degrees of new content were created for both versions, using a similar layout as for the original StressProffen program. New content and new exercises in particular were tested by survivors of breast cancer and a project-related editorial team, resulting in subsequent user centered adjustments, including ensuring auditory versions and adequate explanations before less intuitive sections. Other improvements included implementing a standard closing sentence to round off every exercise, and allowing participants to choose the length of some of the mindfulness exercises. A legal disclaimer and a description of data collection, user rights and study contact information were included to meet ethical, privacy, and security requirements.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows how theory specific (ie, CBI and MBI) digital stress-management interventions for survivors of breast cancer can be developed through extensive collaborations between key stakeholders, including scientists, health care providers, and survivors of breast cancer. Offering a variety of evidence-informed stress-management approaches may potentially increase interest for outreach and impact of psychosocial interventions for survivors of cancer.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.2196/47195.

Advances in the care of breast cancer survivors

Breast cancer survivors may experience significant after effects from diagnoses of breast cancer and cancer directed therapies. This review synthesizes the evidence about optimal management of the sequelae of a diagnosis of breast cancer. It describes the side effects of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy and evidence based strategies for management of such effects, with particular attention to effects of therapies with curative intent. It includes strategies to promote health and wellness among breast cancer survivors, along with data to support the use of integrative oncology strategies. In addition, this review examines models of survivorship care and ways in which digital tools may facilitate communication between clinicians and patients. The strategies outlined in this review are paramount to supporting breast cancer survivors' quality of life.

Home-Based Buddhist Walking Meditation Mitigates Cardiotoxicity of Anthracycline Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: To investigate the effect of walking meditation on vascular function, aerobic fitness, and quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy and compare with the nonexercising control group. Methods: Patients aged 40-60 years with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed resected stage I-II breast cancer were studied in a parallel randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly assigned to either the nonexercising control group (n = 15) or the Buddhist walking meditation group (n = 15). All participants received four cycles of anthracycline chemotherapy every 3 weeks starting at 2 weeks before the start of the exercise intervention. The walking meditation group performed home-based mindfulness walking exercises at a moderate exercise intensity for 30 min/session, 3 times/week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures were vascular reactivity (flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) and arterial stiffness (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity [baPWV]). Results: Eleven participants from each group completed the entire study. Analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that FMD and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) decreased in both groups after the initiation of anthracycline chemotherapy (all p < 0.05). After the exercise intervention, FMD, VO2peak, peak stroke volume, and peak cardiac output remained lower in the controls, but improved in the walking meditation group (all p < 0.05). baPWV increased in the control group, while no such change was observed in the walking meditation group. There were no significant changes in blood cortisol, malondialdehyde, and interleukin-6 concentrations in both groups. Overall quality of life decreased after 2 weeks of anthracycline chemotherapy in both groups (all p < 0.05). However, the walking meditation group improved many of these symptoms significantly (all p < 0.05), while no such changes were observed in the control group. Conclusions: Buddhist walking meditation exercise was effective in mitigating cardiotoxicity of anthracycline chemotherapy on vascular function, aerobic fitness, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Clinical trial registration number: NCT02676531.

Mobile Apps and Quality of Life in Patients With Breast Cancer and Survivors: Systematic Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Side effects of breast cancer treatment may persist long into survivorship, reducing quality of life (QOL) in patients with breast cancer and survivors. There is growing evidence for the use of digital health technologies, such as mobile apps, to support self-management, decrease symptom burden, and improve QOL in patients with cancer. However, an updated overview of the effects of mobile apps on QOL and well-being in patients with breast cancer and survivors is needed.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review was to provide an overview of breast cancer-specific, mobile app-driven lifestyle or behavioral interventions in patient care through to survivorship and their impact on QOL and mental well-being.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted to identify relevant studies. The inclusion criteria were limited to original studies involving a trial of a mobile app-driven lifestyle or behavioral intervention for patients with breast cancer or survivors and using QOL or well-being measures. The results of the studies that met the inclusion criterion were then synthesized in text and table format. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.

RESULTS

A total of 17 studies with the number of participants ranging from 23 to 356 met the inclusion criterion. Of the 17 reviewed studies, 7 (41%) delivered an app-only intervention, and 10 (59%) combined an app with additional supporting materials, such as SMS text messaging, telecoaching, wearables, or printed materials. Among the 17 reviewed studies, 6 (35%) focused on aiding patients with breast cancer during the active treatment phase (excluding ongoing hormone therapy), whereas the remaining 11 (65%) focused on survivorship. The majority of the studies (14/17, 82%) observed some positive effects on QOL or well-being measures.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the review indicate that mobile apps are a promising avenue for improving QOL and well-being in breast cancer care. Positive effects were observed in patients undergoing active treatment in all reviewed studies, but effects were less clear after chemotherapy and in long-term survivors. Although lifestyle and behavioral digital interventions are still being developed, and further research should still be pursued, the available data suggest that current mobile health apps aid patients with breast cancer and survivors.

Non-pharmacological interventions to manage psychological distress in patients living with cancer: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Psychological distress is common in patients with cancer; interfering with physical and psychological wellbeing, and hindering management of physical symptoms. Our aim was to systematically review published evidence on non-pharmacological interventions for cancer-related psychological distress, at all stages of the disease.

METHODS

We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022311729). Searches were made using eight online databases to identify studies meeting our inclusion criteria. Data were collected on outcome measures, modes of delivery, resources and evidence of efficacy. A meta-analysis was planned if data allowed. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).

RESULTS

Fifty-nine studies with 17,628 participants were included. One third of studies included mindfulness, talking or group therapies. Half of all studies reported statistically significant improvements in distress. Statistically significant intervention effects on distress were most prevalent for mindfulness techniques. Four of these mindfulness studies had moderate effect sizes (d = -0.71[95% CI: -1.04, -0.37] p < 0.001) (d = -0.60 [95% CI: -3.44, -0.89] p < 0.001) (d = -0.77 [CI: -0.146, -1.954] p < 0.01) (d = -0.69 [CI: -0.18, -1.19] p = 0.008) and one had a large effect size (d = -1.03 [95% CI: -1.51, -0.54] p < 0.001). Heterogeneity of studies precluded meta-analysis. Study quality was variable and some had a high risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of studies using a mindfulness intervention in this review are efficacious at alleviating distress. Mindfulness-including brief, self-administered interventions-merits further investigation, using adequately powered, high-quality studies.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

This systematic review is registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42022311729.

Mind-body-medicine in oncology-from patient needs to tailored programs and interventions: a cross-sectional study

Introduction

National and international guidelines recommend early integration of evidence-based multimodal interventions and programs, especially with a focus on relaxation techniques and other Mind-Body-based methods to maintain the quality of life of oncology patients, improve treatment tolerability, and promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. Consequently, we aim to understand what drives patients and how they navigate integrative medicine to best advise them. This study aimed to detect possible topics of particular interest to patients and identify the patient groups that could benefit most from further programs. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate if patients are open-minded toward integrative oncology concepts and learn about their motivational level to maintain or change behavior.

Methods

Between August 2019 and October 2020 we surveyed patients undergoing oncological therapy in a university oncological outpatient center using a custom-developed questionnaire based on established Mind-Body Medicine concepts.

Results

We included 294 patients with various cancers. More than half reported problems sleeping through (61%) and 42% felt stressed frequently, invariably rating this as detrimental to their health. Moreover, a slight majority (52%) felt physically limited due to their disease and only 30% performed defined exercise programs. Women were significantly more likely to feel stressed and reported with alarming frequency that they often feel "everything was up to them." The 40-65-year-olds reported significantly less restful sleep, more stress and were more dissatisfied with their situation. However, this group already used natural remedies most frequently and was most often motivated to use relaxation techniques in the next 6 months. The lower the perceived individual energy level (EL), the less frequently patients did sport, the more frequently they felt their disease impaired their activity, mostly feeling stressed and tense. We also found significant associations between negative emotions/thoughts and the variables "sleep," "use of relaxation techniques," "personal stress perception," and "successful lifestyle modification."

Conclusion

Mind-Body programs that focus on patient's individual resources, with tools to explore impairing patterns of self-perception and cognitive biases, can be a valuable resource for oncology patients and should therefore be part of an integrative medical treatment concept.

Effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND

Spiritual well-being is directly related to the quality of life in breast cancer patients. Mindfulness-based therapy interventions can decrease distress levels in women with breast cancer, while improving spiritual well-being.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients.

METHODS

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. A total of 70 participants were enrolled from September, 2021 to July, 2022. Primary outcome included spiritual well-being, and secondary outcome included quality of life. The data were collected using the Patient Sociodemographic and Medical Data Form and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (SpWB) (FACIT-Sp Version 4). In the statistical analysis, the independent sample t test and paired sample t test were used to examine the intervention effect on primary and secondary outcomes, according to numbers, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and conformity to normal distribution.

RESULTS

The average age of the therapy group was 42.22 ± 6.86, and the control group was 41.64 ±  6.04. The average score of meaning (12.25 ± 3.03), overall score average of the spiritual well-being (31.56 ± 8.90), the emotional well-being (13.46 ± 5.78) and physical well-being (16.71 ± 5.59), and overall average score of the quality of life (66.98 ± 17.72) of the therapy group was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The mindfulness-based training may enhance the spiritual well-being and quality of life of breast cancer patients. Nurses should be encouraged for mindfulness-based training sessions to make it a widespread practice, and to regularly evaluate the results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05057078 (date: September 27, 2021).

The Effect of Meditation-Based Interventions on Patients with Fatigue Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Persistent fatigue constitutes a prevalent and debilitating symptom in several diseases. The symptom is not effectively alleviated by pharmaceutical treatments, and meditation has been proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention. Indeed, meditation has been shown to reduce inflammatory/immune problems, pain, stress, anxiety and depression which are associated with pathological fatigue. This review synthesizes data from randomized control trials (RCTs) that explored the effect of meditation-based interventions (MeBIs) on fatigue in pathological conditions. Eight databases were searched from inception to April 2020. Thirty-four RCTs met eligibility criteria and covered six conditions (68% cancer), 32 of which were included in the meta-analysis. The main analysis showed an effect in favor of MeBIs compared to control groups (g = 0.62). Separate moderator analyses assessing control group, pathological condition, and MeBI type, highlighted a significantly moderating role of the control group. Indeed, compared to actively controlled studies, studies using a passive control group were associated with a statistically significantly more beneficial impact of the MeBIs (g = 0.83). These results indicate that MeBIs alleviate pathological fatigue and it seems that the studies with a passive control group showed a greater effect of MeBI on the reduction of fatigue compared to studies using active control groups. However, the specific effect of meditation type and pathological condition should be analyzed with more studies, and there remains a need to assess meditation effects on different types of fatigue (i.e., physical and mental) and in additional conditions (e.g., post-COVID-19).

Immediate impact of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) among women with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) may have positive physiological and psychological benefits for breast cancer survivors. However, few studies involved a combination of the relevant literatures to confirm the effects.

METHODS

Our study included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs comparing interventions of MBCT and control protocols for alleviation of symptoms among breast cancer survivors. We calculated pooled mean differences (MDs), standardized mean differences (SMDs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by using random effects models to estimate summary effect sizes.

RESULTS

Thirteen trials with 20-245 participants were considered in our studies; for the meta-analysis, 11 of these studies were eligible for assessment. The pooled meta-analysis results revealed that at the end of the MBCT intervention, participants' anxiety (SMD, - 0.70; 95% CI, - 1.26 to - 0.13; I2 = 69%), pain (SMD, - 0.64; 95% CI, - 0.92 to - 0.37; I2 = 0%), and depression (SMD, - 0.65; 95% CI, - 1.14 to - 0.17; I2 = 75%) levels significantly decreased, and their mindfulness (MD, 8.83; 95% CI, 3.88 to 13.78; I2 = 68%) levels significantly increased.

CONCLUSION

The MBCT may be associated with improved pain, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness. However, the quantitative analysis pointed to an inconclusive result due to moderate to high levels of heterogeneity among indicator of anxiety, depression, and mindfulness. Future work requires more studies to better elucidate the clinical significance of this possible association. The results suggest that MBCT is highly beneficial as an intervention for patients who have received treatment for breast cancer.

Coping After Breast Cancer (CABC): Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of stress management e-health interventions

BACKGROUND

One-third or more of breast cancer survivors report stress and other psychological and physical complaints that can negatively impact quality of life. Psychosocial stress-management interventions, shown to mitigate the negative impact of these complaints, can now be delivered as accessible and convenient (for the patient and provider) e-health interventions. In the present randomized controlled trial (RCT), Coping After Breast Cancer (CABC), two modified versions of the stress management e-health intervention program StressProffen were created: one with predominantly cognitive-behavioral stress-management content (Stressproffen-CBI) and one with predominantly mindfulness-based stress-management content (StressProffen-MBI).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects in breast cancer survivors of using StressProffen-CBI and StressProffen-MBI compared to a control group (treatment as usual).

METHODS

Women diagnosed with breast cancer (stage I-III, unequivocally HER2+ or ER- tumors) or DCIS aged 21-69 years who completed the Cancer Registry of Norway- initiated health survey on quality of life, are invited to the CABC trial about seven months after diagnosis. Women who give consent to participate are randomized (1:1:1) to: Stressproffen-CBI, Stressproffen-MBI, or control group. Both Stressproffen interventions consist of 10 modules of stress management content delivered through text, sound, video, and images. The primary outcome is between-groups changes in perceived stress at six months, assessed with Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale. Secondary outcomes comprise changes in quality of life, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep, neuropathy, coping, mindfulness and work-related outcomes approximately 1, 2 and 3 years after diagnosis. Long-term effects of the interventions on work participation, comorbidities, relapse or new cancers and mortality will be obtained from national health registries.

RESULTS

We plan to recruit 430 participants in total (100 in each group). Recruitment is scheduled from January 2021 through May 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

The CABC trial is possibly the largest ongoing psychosocial e-health RCT in breast cancer patients at current. If one or both interventions prove to be effective in reducing stress and improving psychosocial and physical complains, the StressProffen e-health interventions could be beneficial, inexpensive, and easily implementable tools for breast cancer survivors when coping with late effects after cancer and cancer treatments.

CLINICALTRIAL

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04480203. First posted: July 7th 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04480203.

Mindfulness for the self-management of negative coping, rumination and fears of compassion in people with cancer: An exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Cancer and its treatments have the potential to significantly impact mental health, provoking feelings of anxiety, depression, and distress, which can last long after treatment is over. One of the most rapidly emerging influences in the healthcare field is mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), which are designed to cultivate present moment awareness, attentional flexibility, compassion and acceptance, to reduce physical and psychological distress. However, there is limited research into the efficacy of MBIs or disease specific MBIs in shifting negative coping, ruminative thinking and fears of compassion as primary outcomes in individuals with cancer.

AIMS

This exploratory study was designed to evaluate inter- and intra-individual change in the management of negative coping, rumination and fears of compassion, following a cancer-specific mindfulness-based intervention.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A single group, non-experimental, repeated measures study of 22 participants across six cancer care centres explored the efficacy of an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer (MBCT-Ca) course. The Reliable Change Index (RCI) examined reliable clinical improvement, deterioration, or no change in individuals on the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (MACS), the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and the Fears of Compassion Scale (FCS). About 82% of participants (n = 18) saw an improvement in at least one measure. A significant decrease in primary outcome scores was observed in negative coping, ruminating and fears of self-compassion. There were significant correlations between the fear of self-compassion and depressive ruminating, fear of accepting compassion from others and showing it to others pre and post intervention.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that the MBCT-Ca programme may significantly reduce negative coping, ruminating and fears of self-compassion improving psychological health and wellbeing in cancer survivors.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of mindfulness-based stress reduction for arterial hypertension

Arterial hypertension is a major public health issue. Non-pharmacological approaches like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) might be a promising addition to conventional therapy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the effects of MBSR on systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among individuals with prehypertension or hypertension. We searched Medline/PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from their inception until August 1st 2021. RCTs were included that compared MBSR to any control intervention in participants with diagnosed prehypertension (120-139/80-89 mmHg) or hypertension (≥140/≥90 mmHg). Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Risk of Bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Seven RCTs with 429 participants were included. Very low quality of evidence was found for positive effects of MBSR on SBP (MD = -11.26 mmHg, 95%CI = -20.24 to -2.29, p = 0.01) but no evidence for effects on DBP levels (MD = -3.62 mmHg, 95%CI = -8.52 to 1.29, p = 0.15) compared to waitlist control. Compared to active control, very low quality of evidence was found for positive effects on DBP (MD = -5.51 mmHg, 95%CI = -10.93 to -0.09, p = 0.05) but no effects on SBP levels (MD = -4.33 mmHg, 95%CI = -12.04 to 3.38, p = 0.27). Overall, the studies showed a high degree of heterogeneity. The effects found were robust against selection, detection, and attrition bias. Only one RCT reported safety data. MBSR may be an option for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension to hypertension. More and larger high-quality studies are needed to substantiate our findings.

Chronic stress in solid tumor development: from mechanisms to interventions

Chronic stress results in disturbances of body hormones through the neuroendocrine system. Cancer patients often experience recurrent anxiety and restlessness during disease progression and treatment, which aggravates disease progression and hinders treatment effects. Recent studies have shown that chronic stress-regulated neuroendocrine systems secret hormones to activate many signaling pathways related to tumor development in tumor cells. The activated neuroendocrine system acts not only on tumor cells but also modulates the survival and metabolic changes of surrounding non-cancerous cells. Current clinical evidences also suggest that chronic stress affects the outcome of cancer treatment. However, in clinic, there is lack of effective treatment for chronic stress in cancer patients. In this review, we discuss the main mechanisms by which chronic stress regulates the tumor microenvironment, including functional regulation of tumor cells by stress hormones (stem cell-like properties, metastasis, angiogenesis, DNA damage accumulation, and apoptotic resistance), metabolic reprogramming and immune escape, and peritumor neuromodulation. Based on the current clinical treatment framework for cancer and chronic stress, we also summarize pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches to provide some directions for cancer therapy.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for ruminative thinking: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for ruminative thinking.

METHODS

Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, PubMed and Science Direct databases were searched to include randomized controlled trials of mindfulness-based interventions for rumination that met the criteria. The Rumination scale was used as the primary outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicator included the Mindfulness scale. An evaluation of bias risk was conducted to identify possible sources of bias based on methodological and clinical factors. Stata 16.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression analysis and publication bias detection of the extracted data.

RESULTS

A total of 61 studies with 4229 patients were included. Meta-analysis results revealed a significant intervention effect on ruminative thinking (SMD = -0.534, 95 % CI = [-0.675, -0.394], z = -7.449, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between mindfulness-based interventions and CBT (SMD = 0.009, 95%CI = [-0.239, 0.258], z = 0.073, P = 0.941). Meta-analysis showed that mindfulness-based interventions significantly enhanced the level of mindfulness (SMD = 0.495, 95 % CI = [0.343, 0.647], z = 6.388, P < 0.001), while it was not significant compared to CBT (SMD = 0.158, 95%CI = [-0.087, 0.403], z = 1.266, P = 0.205). The two subgroups with >65 % (SMD = -0.534, 95%CI = [-0.681, -0.386], z = -7.081, P < 0.001) and 80 % (SMD = -0.462, 95%CI = [-0.590, -0.334], z = -7.071, P < 0.001) of females showed significant improvement in ruminative thinking. There were significant intervention effects for depression, students, cancer, healthy adults, and clinical patients. Significant intervention effects were demonstrated for various participant ages and intervention periods.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed the feasibility of mindfulness-based interventions in improving ruminative thinking and enhancing the level of mindfulness. However, the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions was not significant compared to CBT. The two subgroups with a higher proportion of females showed a more significant improvement in ruminative thinking, whereas there were no significant differences in participant characteristics, age, and the duration of intervention.

Improving biobehavioral health in younger breast cancer survivors: Pathways to Wellness trial secondary outcomes

BACKGROUND

The Pathways to Wellness trial tested the efficacy of 2 interventions for younger breast cancer survivors: mindful awareness practices (MAPs) and survivorship education (SE). This planned secondary analysis examines intervention effects on stress, positive psychological outcomes, and inflammation (Clincaltrials.gov NCT03025139).

METHODS

Women diagnosed with breast cancer at or before age 50 years who had completed treatment and had elevated depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of MAPs, SE, or wait-list control (WLC). Assessments conducted at pre- and postintervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-up measured general stress perceptions, cancer-related intrusive thoughts and worry, positive affect, meaning and peace in life, altruism and empathy, and markers of inflammation. Analyses compared change in outcomes over time in each intervention group relative to WLC using linear mixed models.

RESULTS

A total 247 women were randomly assigned to MAPs (n = 85), SE (n = 81), or WLC (n = 81). MAPs statistically significantly decreased intrusive thoughts and worry at postintervention and 3-month follow-up relative to WLC (P < .027) and statistically significantly increased positive affect and meaning and peace at postintervention, with positive affect persisting at 3-month follow-up (P < .027). SE statistically significantly decreased intrusive thoughts at 3-month follow-up and statistically significantly increased positive affect at 6-month follow-up relative to WLC (P < .01). Proinflammatory gene expression increased in WLC relative to MAPs (P = .016) but did not differ from SE. There were no intervention effects on other outcomes.

CONCLUSION

MAPs had beneficial effects on psychological and immune outcomes in younger breast cancer survivors and is a promising approach for enhancing biobehavioral health.

Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Mistletoe Extracts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in women and quality of life an essential part of patients' well-being. Although the treatment with mistletoe extracts is covered by multiple cancer guidelines and reviews, it is uncertain whether mistletoe extracts can improve the quality of life in breast cancer patients. We therefore performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on this topic.

METHODS

This systematic review included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies of intervention (NRSIs) comparing the quality of life in breast cancer patients treated with mistletoe extracts as add-on therapy to control groups treated conventionally. We searched previous systematic reviews and multiple databases until January 2023. We conducted a meta-analysis and assessed the risk of bias according to the Cochrane Handbook via RoB 2 and ROBINS-I and the certainty of evidence via GRADE, respectively.

RESULTS

Nine RCTs and 7 NRSIs with 833 and 2831 participants, respectively, were included. The pre-post changes for the quality of life resulted in a pooled standardized mean difference for RCTs of SMD = 0.61 (95% CI 0.47-0.75; P < .0001) and for retrospective NRSIs of SMD = 0.46 (95% CI 0.10-0.82; P = .01). The risk of bias was low to high for the RCTs and serious for all NRSIs. The certainty of evidence was moderate for RCTs and very low for NRSIs.

DISCUSSION

Our results indicate a clinically relevant, medium-sized effect of mistletoe extracts on the quality of life in breast cancer patients which may be based on the immunomodulating effects of mistletoe extracts during chemotherapy. The limitations of evidence include the risk of bias which is mainly caused by the difficulty of blinding. Further RCTs and real-world evidence need to confirm this result, especially in the setting of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and in breast cancer survivors.

Efficacy and mechanisms of 4-week MBSR on psychological distress in lung cancer patients: A single-center, single-blind, longitudinal, randomized controlled trial

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a 4-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on psychological distress in patients with lung cancer and elucidate its mechanisms.

Methods

This single-center, single-blinded, longitudinal, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 175 patients with lung cancer randomly allocated to a 4-week MBSR or a waiting-list group. The efficacy and mechanisms of the 4-week MBSR program were evaluated by outcome measures at preintervention (T0), the immediate postintervention (T1), 1 month (T2), and 3 months (T3). We analyzed the collected data using the per-protocol set principle, independent sample t-test, repeated measure analysis of variance, and structural equation modeling.

Results

The 4-week MBSR program significantly alleviated psychological distress (F ​= ​15.05, P ​< ​0.001), decreased perceived stigma (F ​= ​8.260, P ​= ​0.005), improved social support (F ​= ​16.465, P ​< ​0.001), and enhanced mindfulness (F ​= ​17.207, P ​< ​0.001) compared with usual care at T1, T2, and T3. All variables significantly changed over time except for copying style (P ​= ​0.250). The changes in social support, mindfulness, and perceived stigma mediated the efficacy of the 4-week MBSR program on psychological distress (β ​= ​-0.292, P ​= ​0.005; β ​= ​-0.358, P ​= ​0.005).

Conclusions

This study shows the benefits of the MBSR program for psychological distress, social support, mindfulness, and perceived stigma in patients with lung cancer. Also, it elucidates the mechanisms by which the MBSR program alleviates psychological distress by improving social support, enhancing mindfulness, and decreasing perceived stigma. The findings provide insights into applying the MBSR program to reduce psychological distress among patients with lung cancer.

Neurofeedback Treatment Affects Affective Symptoms, But Not Perceived Cognitive Impairment in Cancer Patients: Results of an Explorative Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

EEG biofeedback (NF) is an established therapy to enable individuals to influence their own cognitive-emotional state by addressing changes in brainwaves. Psycho-oncological approaches of NF in cancer patients are rare and effects are hardly studied.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this explorative, randomized controlled trial was to test the effectiveness of an alpha and theta NF training protocol, compared to mindfulness based therapy as an established psycho-oncological treatment.

METHODS

Of initially 62 screened patients, 56 were included (inclusion criteria were cancer independent of tumor stage, age >18 years, German speaking; exclusion criteria suicidal ideation, brain tumor). Randomization and stratification (tumor stage) was conducted by a computer system. Participants got 10 sessions over 5 weeks, in (a) an NF intervention (n = 21; 13 female, 8 male; MAge = 52.95(10 519); range = 31 to 73 years)) or (b) a mindfulness group therapy as control condition (CG; n = 21; ie, 15 female, 6 male; MAge = 50.33(8708); range = 32 to 67 years)). Outcome parameters included self-reported cognitive impairment (PCI) as primary outcome, and secondary outcomes of emotional distress (DT, PHQ-8, GAD-7), fatigue (MFI-20), rumination (RSQ), quality of life (QoL, EORTC-30 QoL), self-efficacy (GSE), and changes in EEG alpha, and theta-beta band performance in the NF condition.

RESULTS

No changes in cognitive impairment were found (P = .079), neither in NF nor CG. High affective distress was evident, with 70.7% showing elevated distress and 34.1% showing severe depressive symptoms. Affective symptoms of distress (P ≤ .01), depression (P ≤ .05) and generalized anxiety (P ≤ .05) decreased significantly over time. No differences between NF and CG were found. There was a significant increase of the alpha band (P ≤ .05; N = 15) over the NF sessions. Self-efficacy predicted QoL increase in NF with P ≤ .001 and an explained variance of 48.2%.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to investigate NF technique with regard to basic mechanisms of effectiveness in a sample of cancer patients, compared to an established psycho-oncological intervention in this field. Though there were no changes in cognitive impairment, present data show that NF improves affective symptoms comparably to mindfulness-based therapy and even more pronounced in QoL and self-efficacy.Trial registration: ID: DRKS00015773.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Depression in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

We examined the effects of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer and examined the moderating effects of participant characteristics, research methodologies, and features of interventions.

METHODS

We systematically searched 12 databases through November 2022 without date restrictions using the following search terms: (mindful* or meditation) AND (cancer OR neoplasm) AND (depress*). Studies included were primary studies evaluating MBIs in women with breast cancer who also had depression. Studies were included if they used a control group and were written in English. We used a random-effects model to compute effect sizes (ESs) using Hedges' g, forest plot, and Q and I2 statistics as measure of heterogeneity. We also requested moderator analyses.

RESULTS

We found 19 studies with 2139 participants (49.4 ± 8.3 years old) that met inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis and systematic review. Overall, women in MBI groups demonstrated significantly lower levels of depression (g = 0.48, 95% CI:0.159, 0.792, P < .001) compared to women in control groups. Regarding moderators, providing MBIs with a home assignment component showed a significantly greater effect on decreasing depressive symptoms (g = 1.75) compared to MBIs without a home assignment component (g = 0.20). When researchers used concealed allocation technique, the interventions demonstrated lower effects on depression than when concealed allocation (g = 0.11vs g = 1.33, P ≤ .001) was not reported. Additionally, when researchers reported high rates of sample attrition, they found a lower effect size on depression (β = -.019, Q = 3.97, P = .046) indicating that attrition moderates the effect.

CONCLUSION

MBIs are moderately effective interventions to reduce depressive symptoms among women with breast cancer. Clinicians might consider encouraging MBIs as adjunct/alternative treatments for women with breast cancer to manage symptoms of depression. Interventions that incorporat home assignments for practicing mindfulness are likely to have a greater effect on reducing depressive symptoms. Additionally, methods including concealed allocation and attrition rate were moderators of the effects of MBIs on depression in women with breast cancer.

[Mind-body medicine in integrative uro-oncology : Studies and areas of application]

BACKGROUND

Mind-body medicine (MBM) complements somatically oriented medical practice with behavioral and lifestyle-oriented approaches: Thus, health-promoting attitudes and behaviors are strengthened in everyday life. In integrative oncology, it helps promote emotional and physical well-being.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Guideline recommendations and the current study situation in integrative uro-oncology are presented.

RESULTS

During and after completion of primary therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) shows positive effects on anxiety, stress, and fatigue. However, it appears that the offer needs to be better tailored to the needs of prostate cancer patients. The effects of yoga are well documented, especially on fatigue, quality of life, and sexual function. Prostate cancer patients also showed a significantly increased immune response after completing a yoga intervention. Tai Ji Quan/Qigong improve quality of life, fatigue, and other symptoms. Hypnosis-especially in the palliative setting-mitigates anxiety, and relaxation techniques alleviate sleep problems and nausea/vomiting. Multimodal services improve quality of life on numerous levels. Higher resilience correlates with better quality of life and stronger male self-esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

MBSR alleviates many symptoms but needs to be adapted to the needs of prostate cancer patients; yoga and Tai Ji Chuan/Qigong alleviate fatigue and improve quality of life. Hypnosis and relaxation training reduce nausea/vomiting, and improve sleep and anxiety. Resilience promotion is important to support oncological patients.

Mindfulness is associated with improved psychological well-being but no change in stress biomarkers in breast cancer survivors with depression: a single group clinical pilot study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this clinical single group pilot study was to assess mental well-being, psychological symptoms, and a set of stress biomarkers among breast cancer survivors with high depressive symptoms undergoing the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program.

METHODS

Participants included 23 curatively treated breast cancer survivors from the Helsinki University Central Hospital with clinically significant symptoms of depression (Beck Depression Inventory > 13, and assessed by a psychiatrist), at 1-year post-operative follow-up. Mental wellbeing and psychological symptoms were assessed with self-reported questionnaires (Resilience Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, World Health Organization Quality of Life-questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Insomnia Severity Index); in addition, stress response was assessed with biomarkers (cortisol, adrenocorticotropine, and high-sensitivity-CRP from blood; 24 h-cortisol from urine). All measures were addressed at baseline, mid-program (4 weeks after baseline) and at the completion of the 8-week MBSR program. Engagement to the independent mindfulness home practice was collected with a diary.

RESULTS

From baseline to the completion of the 8-week MBSR program, we observed significant increases in resilience (d = 0.60, p = 0.005), and quality of life (d = 0.92, p = 0.002), and significant reductions in symptoms of depression (d = - 1.17, p < 0.0001), anxiety (d = - 0.87, p < 0.0001), insomnia (d = - 0.58, p = 0.006), and marginally significant reduction in perceived stress (d = - 0.40, p = 0.09). We found no changes in self-compassion or mindfulness skills, nor in the stress biomarkers during or at the completion of the program. There was no association between the engagement time to the independent mindfulness practice and any of the outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Attending the MBSR program was associated with increased wellbeing and reduced psychological symptoms in breast cancer survivors with clinically significant symptoms of depression. However, these favorably experienced changes did not transfer to the level of stress biomarkers during the 8-week program. Lack of association between the engagement in the mindfulness home practice and change in outcomes suggests that in the studied range of practice time, other qualities of MBSR despite the amount of independent practice may have a more important role for the improved wellbeing. Trial registration ISRCTN12326308 at 16/02/2021, retrospectively registered.

Biomarker opportunities in the treatment of cancer-related depression

Depression comorbid with cancer is common and associated with a host of negative health outcomes. The inflammatory basis of depression is a growing area of research in cancer, focused on how stressors transduce into inflammation and contribute to the emergence of depression. In this review, we synthesize inflammatory biomarker associations with both depression and the currently available pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies in cancer, underscoring the need for expanding research on anti-inflammatory agents with antidepressant effects. Modulation of inflammatory neuroimmune pathways can slow tumor progression and reduce metastases. Biomarkers associated with depression in cancer may help with diagnosis and treatment monitoring, as well as inform research on novel drug targets to potentially improve cancer survival.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on adults with sleep disturbance: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a meditation-based therapy originally recommended for stress management. However, it is currently used to alleviate sleep disturbances. Therefore, this contemporary systematic review aimed to elucidate the clinical effects of MBSR on sleep quality and sleep-related daytime impairment in adults with sleep disturbances, including chronic insomnia disorders.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted using the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, AMED, Ovidembase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and four domestic databases: KoreaMed, KISS, KMbase and NDSL. The final search update was performed in June 2022. Two researchers independently selected relevant studies, assessed the risk of bias and extracted the data.

RESULTS

Of the 7516 records searched, 20 RCTs and 21 reports were included. In the subgroup analysis, MBSR did not improve objective or subjective sleep quality in chronic insomnia and cancers. However, MBSR versus waitlist control might have been effective in improving subjective sleep quality, but with substantial heterogeneity (standardised mean difference=-0.32; 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.08; I²=71%). In addition, MBSR compared with active control did not improve the sleep-related daytime impairments including depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue and quality of life. The overall risk of bias included in this review was a concern because of performance and detection bias.

CONCLUSIONS

MBSR might be ineffective for improving sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia and cancers. In addition, more than half of the RCTs included in this review had small sample sizes and were vulnerable to performance and detection biases. Therefore, well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the clinical effects of MBSR in adults with sleep disturbances.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42015027963.

Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on fatigue and psychological wellbeing in women with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised control trials

BACKGROUND

Cancer diagnosis and treatment can cause fatigue, stress and anxiety which can have a detrimental effect on patients, families and the wider community. Mindfulness-based interventions appear to have positive effects on managing these cancer-related symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of mindfulness on cancer related fatigue (CRF) and psychological well-being in female cancer patients.

METHODS

Five databases (CINHAL, Ovid Medline, Ovid Psych Info, Scopus, and Cochrane), and two trial registers (WHO and Clinicaltrials.gov) were searched for randomised control trials from inception to April 2021 and updated in August 2022. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4. The standardised mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to determine the intervention effect. Subgroup analysis was performed for adaptation to types of mindfulness, length of intervention and types of comparator used.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies with a total of 2326 participants were identified. Mindfulness significantly improved CRF (SMD -0.81, 95% CI -1.17 to -0.44), depression (SMD-0.74, 95% CI -1.08 to -0.39) and anxiety (SMD -0.92, 95% CI -1.50 to -0.33). No effect was observed for quality of life (SMD 0.32, 95% CI -0.13-0.87) and sleep (SMD -0.65, 95% CI -1.34-0.04). Subgroup analysis revealed that there was little difference in SMD for adapted type of mindfulness (p = 0.42), wait list control compared to active comparator (p = 0.05) or length of intervention (p = 0.29).

CONCLUSION

Mindfulness appears to be effective in reducing CRF and other cancer related symptoms in women. Adaptations to mindfulness delivery did not have negative impact on results which may aid delivery in the clinical settings.

The efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction vs. standard or usual care in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has become an alternative intervention for cancer patients, but its impact on depression and quality of life (QOL) of breast cancer patients remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of MBSR vs. standard or usual care to relieve psychological stress in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

According to the PICOS principles, databases [PubMed, Cochrane Database, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang Database] were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the evaluation of MBSR vs. standard or usual care for patients with breast cancer, the outcome variables included depression, stress, anxiety, fatigue, sleep and QOL. Review Manager 5.4 was used to evaluate the effects of the results among selected articles. Forest plots and funnel plots were also performed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 14 studies with a total of 2,224 patients (1,138 in the MBSR group and 1,086 in the control group). The overall results of risk of bias assessment showed that the reporting bias among articles was high, and other bias was relatively moderate. Funnel plots and Egger's tests showed that there was no significant publication bias. Compared with standard or usual care, MBSR effectively relieved the psychological stress [mean difference (MD), -1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): (-2.53, -0.92); P<0.0001] and anxiety [standardized mean difference (SMD), -1.36; 95% CI: (-2.13, -0.60); P=0.0005] of breast cancer patients, and improved depression [SMD, -0.62; 95% CI: (-1.20, -0.03); P=0.04] and sleep status [MD, -0.42; 95% CI: (-0.73, -0.10), P=0.009]. However, it had no significant effect on fatigue [SMD, -0.97; 95% CI: (-2.24, 0.31); P=0.14] or QOL [MD, 1.95; 95% CI: (-3.15, 7.05); P=0.45].

CONCLUSIONS

MBSR was better than standard or usual care for relieving psychological stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep in patients with breast cancer. Considering the limitations of this article, such as high risk of bias and high heterogeneity of included studies, the interpretation of this conclusion should be cautious.

Effectiveness of Digital Interventions for Deficit-Oriented and Asset-Oriented Psychological Outcomes in the Workplace: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

BACKGROUND

Digital psychological interventions can target deficit-oriented and asset-oriented psychological outcomes in the workplace. This review examined: (a) the effectiveness of digital interventions for psychological well-being at work, (b) associations with workplace outcomes, and (c) associations between interventions' effectiveness and their theory-base.

METHODS

six electronic databases were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCT) and quasi-experimental studies. The methodological quality of studies that used randomisation was conducted with the "Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias" tool, while the "JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist" was used for non-randomised studies. Studies' theory-base was evaluated using an adaptation of the "theory coding scheme" (TSC). Due to heterogeneity, narrative synthesis was performed.

RESULTS

51 studies were included in a synthesis describing four clusters of digital interventions: (a) cognitive behavioural therapy, (b) stress-management interventions and workplace well-being promotion, (c) meditation training and mindfulness-based interventions, and (d) self-help interventions. Studies demonstrated a high risk of contamination effects and high attrition bias. Theory-informed interventions demonstrated greater effectiveness. Cognitive behavioural therapy demonstrated the most robust evidence for reducing depression symptoms among healthy employees. With the exception of the Headspace application, there was weak evidence for meditation training apps, while relaxation training was a key component of effective stress-management interventions.

A common factors perspective on mindfulness-based interventions

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have entered mainstream Western culture in the past four decades. There are now dozens of MBIs with varying degrees of empirical support and a variety of mindfulness-specific psychological mechanisms have been proposed to account for the beneficial effects of MBIs. Although it has long been acknowledged that non-specific or common factors might contribute to MBI efficacy, relatively little empirical work has directly investigated these aspects. In this Perspective, I suggest that situating MBIs within the broader psychotherapy research literature and emphasizing the commonalities rather than differences between MBIs and other treatments might help guide future MBI research. To that end, I summarize the evidence for MBI efficacy and several MBI-specific psychological mechanisms, contextualize MBI findings within the broader psychotherapy literature from a common factors perspective, and propose suggestions for future research based on innovations and challenges occurring within psychotherapy research.

The implementation of an online mindfulness-based program for pediatric patients at a tertiary hospital in South America: a feasibility study protocol

Background

The prevalence of chronic and complex pediatric health conditions has quickly risen over the last decades. Chronic and complex health conditions make pediatric patients and their families more susceptible to many distressing events during their lifespan. Mindfulness-based interventions have become a popular intervention for individuals living with chronic illnesses and have been adapted for pediatric populations with good results, including online versions. This study intends to report an implementation protocol of an online mindfulness-based program for adolescents to address an important gap in stress relief and health promotion for pediatric patients.

Methods

In this article, we describe the rationale and design of an implementation study of an online mindfulness-based program for pediatric patients at a tertiary pediatric hospital in South America. Participants will be recruited during one year to participate in an eight-session online mindfulness-based program. To assess our primary aim of feasibility, we will exam recruitment, retention and participation rates. Participants will also complete a symptomatology evaluation (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) at baseline and immediately at post-treatment and fidelity will be evaluated by a structured questionnaire.

Discussion

This study will be the first known to assess the implementation of an online mindfulness-based program for a pediatric population at a tertiary pediatric center in South America under real-life conditions. This study will establish the feasibility of a novel intervention aimed at promoting mental health and positive coping strategies among pediatric patients with chronic and complex health conditions. Evidence from this study would be useful to patients, families, clinicians, and policymakers and will help to devise strategies of health promotion for the pediatric population, as well as serve as a model for a future trial to examine efficacy of the proposed intervention.

Trial registration

This research has been registered at Ensaiosclinicos.gov.br, identifier RBR-23trp87. Registered 25 February 2022—retrospectively registered.

A Meta-Analysis of Mindfulness-Based Therapies for Insomnia and Sleep Disturbance Moving Toward Processes of Change

MBTs are increasingly being investigated as a viable treatment of insomnia or sleep disturbance. To date, 13 trials published since 2010 suggest that MBTs are efficacious for improving symptoms of insomnia and sleep quality relative to psychological placebos and inactive control conditions with medium to large effects. Limited evidence suggests that these effects are sustained at 3-month follow-up. Despite this, limited data were collected evaluating the empirically supported mechanisms or processes of change. The authors propose a testable model in the psychological process model of sleep that they hope will advance the next generation of research into MBTs for insomnia.