Mind-body therapies (MBTs) are being mainstreamed into cancer treatment. These seek to reduce pain, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, hot flashes, and improve mood. MBTs for cancer patients include meditation, yoga, tai chi, hypnosis, imagery, and creative therapies.
Adjunct treatments include relaxation therapies such as meditation, hypnosis, yoga, art, music, tai chi, and qi gong (Elkins et al., 2010). Fatigue in cancer survivors disrupts normal functioning and quality of life. Nonpharmacologic approaches are being tried to provide relief (Bower et al., 2014).
A review of meditation - mind-body therapies
Approximately 90 patients were organized into weekly meditation groups, each lasting 1.5 hours, for seven weeks. A 65% reduction in total mood disturbance and a 31% reduction in stress symptoms were observed (Speca et al., 2000). Practically speaking, half an hour of meditation is adequate to achieve a degree of calmness.
Another study with cancer patients suffering from mood disturbance and stress symptoms showed a reduction of these symptoms after a meditation-based stress reduction program (Carlson et al., 2001).
As cancer treatment becomes increasingly efficient, there is a need to improve the quality of life of such patients. Meditation is increasingly recognized as an adjunct to cancer treatment (Biegler et al., 2009). As evidence of meditation's constructive role in the psychology of cancer patients accumulates, so too does the need for better instruments to measure these positive changes (Matchim et al., 2007).
Studies investigating the impact of meditation on cancer patients have been reviewed. The reviews showed consistent benefits in improved psychological functioning, reduced stress symptoms, and enhanced well-being (Ott et al., 2006). A meaningful change was observed in cancer patients who were given meditation sessions (Foley et al., 2010).
Another randomized controlled trial to study the impact of a transcendental meditation program on stage II to stage IV breast cancer patients showed significant improvements in overall quality of life and reduced stress (Nidich et al., 2009). Suppressive effects on tumor progression were observed in prostate cancer patients who practiced Buddhist Zen meditation (Yu et al., 2003).
Young breast cancer patients subjected to meditation sessions showed reduced stress and lower levels of depression and inflammatory activity. These patients underwent a 6-week meditation program (Bower et al., 2015).
Sleep disturbance is very common in cancer patients. An 8-week meditation program significantly helped reduce sleep disturbances in 63 cancer patients (Carlson et al., 2005). Another study (Carlson et al., 2007) yielded similar results, including enhanced quality of life, decreased stress, altered immune patterns, and lower blood pressure.
Mind-body therapies for cancer patients – some examples
Yoga has acquired an international stance. It is also mainstreamed in cancer treatment and patient care. MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA has incorporated yoga therapy into cancer care for over two decades. The center collaborates with Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) in India to conduct yoga research trials.
Yoga therapy is now part of integrative medicine services that aim to support patients during and after cancer treatment in several institutions such as the University of Miami Health System’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Florida, USA, UCLA Health’s Simms-Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, California, USA, Penny Brohn UK Bristol, United Kingdom, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana(S-VYASA, Bangalore, India and Kaivalyadhama Health and Yoga Research Center, Lonavala, India.
Check out the details in my latest revised edition, Natural Solutions for Cancer: Holistic Healing with Herbal Medicine, Ayurveda, TCM, and Mind-Body Therapies, available on Amazon https://amzn.to/3XNgP52.
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