A Pilot Study Evaluating the Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Psychological Status, Physical Status, Salivary Cortisol, and Interleukin-6 Among Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecile A. Lengacher ◽  
Kevin E. Kip ◽  
Michelle Barta ◽  
Janice Post-White ◽  
Paul B. Jacobsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Interleukin 6 ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Advanced Stage Cancer

Purpose: To investigate whether a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for cancer (MBSR-C) improved psychological and physical symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and stress markers among advanced-stage cancer patients and caregivers. Design: A pilot within-subject design was used. Method: Patients previously diagnosed with advanced-stage breast, colon, lung, or prostate cancer and on treatment were recruited from the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Twenty-six patient–caregiver dyads completed a modified 6-week, self-study MBSR-C program based on the Kabat–Zinn model. Psychological and physical symptoms and QOL were compared pre– and post–MBSR-C sessions. Salivary cortisol and interleukin-6 were assessed pre– and post–MBSR-C session at 1, 3, and 6 weeks. Findings: Following the 6-week MBSR program, patients showed improvements in stress and anxiety (p < .05); caregivers’ psychological and QOL also improved but were not statistically significant. Both patients and caregivers had decreases in cortisol at Weeks 1 and 3 (p < .05) but not at Week 6. Similar to cortisol levels at Week 6, salivary interleukin-6 levels were lower overall (before/after an MBSR-C session), compared with Week 1 for patients and caregivers. Conclusions: MBSR-C may be a beneficial intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, cortisol levels, and symptoms in advanced-stage cancer patients and may also benefit caregivers.

Symptom Experiences: Perceptual Accuracy Between Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients and Family Caregivers in the Home Care Setting

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 3495-3507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Lobchuk ◽  
Lesley F. Degner
Keyword(s):  
Home Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Absolute Difference ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Symptom Experiences ◽  
Advanced Stage Cancer

PURPOSE: This study used a comparative descriptive design to compare family caregivers’ and advanced-stage cancer patients’ perceptions of patients’ multidimensional symptom experiences on presence, frequency, severity, and distress. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A convenience sample of 98 dyads, composed of advanced-stage heterogeneous cancer patients and their caregivers, completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale in the home care setting on a one-time basis. This scale is a 32-item Likert-type scale for assessing the presence, frequency, severity, and distress arising from symptoms in cancer patients. RESULTS: There was confirmation of trends previously described in related studies where, for example, caregivers tend to overreport on symptom experiences. However, the degree of absolute difference between patient and caregiver responses was normally around 1 unit (on a theoretical range of 0 to 4 units). Levels of patient-caregiver agreement were better on more concrete questions related to symptom frequency, severity, and distress than on broad questions related to the presence of a symptom. Patients and caregivers achieved better levels of agreement on physical versus psychological symptoms. CONCLUSION: The findings indicated that family caregivers can provide reasonable proxy or complementary reports on patient symptom experiences of frequency, severity, and distress. However, family caregivers have greater difficulty in achieving high levels of accuracy on psychological versus physical symptoms.

The conjoint use of music therapy and reflexology with hospitalized advanced stage cancer patients and their families

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucanne Magill ◽  
Susan Berenson
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Symptom Control ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Spiritual Struggles ◽  
Patients Experience ◽  
Advanced Stage Cancer

ABSTRACTAdvanced stage cancer patients experience debilitating physical symptoms as well as profound emotional and spiritual struggles. Advanced disease is accompanied by multiple changes and losses for the patient and the family. Palliative care focuses on the relief of overall suffering of patients and families, including symptom control, psychosocial support, and the meeting of spiritual needs. Music therapy and reflexology are complementary therapies that can soothe and provide comfort. When used conjointly, they provide a multifaceted experience that can aid in the reduction of anxiety, pain, and isolation; facilitate communication between patients, family members, and staff; and provide the potential for a more peaceful dying experience for all involved. This article addresses the benefits of the combined use of music therapy and reflexology. Two case studies are presented to illustrate the application and benefits of this dual approach for patients and their families regarding adjustment to the end of life in the presence of anxiety and cognitive impairment.

scholarly journals Clinical outcomes of advanced stage cancer patients treated with sequential immunotherapy in phase 1 clinical trials

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1198-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan J. Martini ◽  
Yuan Liu ◽  
Julie M. Shabto ◽  
Colleen Lewis ◽  
Meredith R. Kline ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Advanced Stage Cancer

scholarly journals A Large Randomized Trial: Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Breast Cancer (BC) Survivors on Salivary Cortisol and IL-6

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecile A. Lengacher ◽  
Richard R. Reich ◽  
Carly L. Paterson ◽  
Melissa Shelton ◽  
Steve Shivers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Signed Rank ◽  
Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test ◽  
Signed Rank Test ◽  
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) often experience psychological and physiological symptoms after cancer treatment. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a complementary and alternative therapy, has reduced subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and fatigue among BCS. Little is known, however, about how MBSR affects objective markers of stress, specifically the stress hormone cortisol and the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). In the present study, BCS ( N = 322) were randomly assigned to a 6-week MBSR program for BC or usual-care control. Measurements of cortisol, IL-6, symptoms, and quality of life were obtained at orientation and 6 weeks. Cortisol and IL-6 were also measured prior to and after the MBSR(BC) class Weeks 1 and 6. The mean age of participants was 56.6 years and 69.4% were White non-Hispanic. Most had Stage I (33.8%) or II (35.7%) BC, and 35.7% had received chemotherapy and radiation. Cortisol levels were reduced immediately following MBSR(BC) class compared to before the class Weeks 1 and 6 (Wilcoxon-signed rank test; p < .01, d = .52–.56). IL-6 was significantly reduced from pre- to postclass at Week 6 (Wilcoxon-signed rank test; p < .01, d = .21). No differences were observed between the MBSR(BC) and control groups from baseline to Week 6 using linear mixed models. Significant relationships with small effect sizes were observed between IL-6 and both symptoms and quality of life in both groups. Results support the use of MBSR(BC) to reduce salivary cortisol and IL-6 levels in the short term in BCS.

Development of predictive models to identify advanced-stage cancer patients in a US healthcare claims database

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 30-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daina B. Esposito ◽  
Leo Russo ◽  
Dina Oksen ◽  
Ruihua Yin ◽  
Vibha C.A. Desai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Claims Database ◽  
Advanced Stage Cancer
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