A Korean study with 30 breast cancer patients demonstrated that guided imagery and progressive relaxation administered together before each of 6 cycles of chemotherapy, reduces anticipatory nausea and vomiting, improves quality of life.

Researchers at the Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea studied the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training (PMRT) and guided imagery (GI) in reducing the anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV) and postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting (PNV) and in increasing quality of life for patients with breast cancer.

Two-thirds of women treated for breast cancer followed their conventional medical therapy with one or more CAM (complementary and alternative) therapies, and most especially relaxation/meditation, herbs, spiritual healing and megavitamins.

More and more women are now successfully being treated for breast cancer, and wind up searching for ways to hedge their bets on staying strong and well after treatment is completed. A recent survey out of Western Oregon University asked 551 ex-breast cancer patients about their use of 15 different complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies after completion of allopathic therapy for breast cancer. These were women in the Portland OR area who were diagnosed an average of 3.5 years earlier.

Relaxation and guided imagery are found to reduce treatment-related pain (from mouth sores) in bone marrow transplant patients at the renowned Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Researchers at the renowned Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle published a study that looked at pain levels from mouth sores in 94 bone marrow transplant patients. The patients were randomly divided into four groups: (1) treatment as usual control, (2) therapist support, (3) relaxation and imagery training, and (4) training in a package of cognitive-behavioral coping skills which included relaxation and imagery. All groups received 2 training sessions prior to treatment and then twice a week "booster" sessions for the first 5 weeks of treatment.

Kristine Kwekkeboom and her team from The University of Iowa College of Nursing studied which variables predicted the successful use of guided imagery as a pain management strategy for cancer patients..

Kristine Kwekkeboom and her team from The University of Iowa College of Nursing have been studying predictors of the successful use of guided imagery for some time now. This pilot study, with a one-group pretest-posttest design, examines whether peoples’ ability to effectively use imagery as a pain management strategy can be predicted for individual cancer patients.

The effects of guided imagery on comfort of women with early stage breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

Katherine Kolcaba, PhD, RN (U of Akron) and Christine Fox, PhD, (U of Toledo) found guided imagery to be an effective intervention for increasing comfort and reducing anxiety in 53 women with early stage breast cancer undergoing Radiation Therapy. The investigators designed and recorded imagery specifically for this study. Subjects were most likely to listen just before a treatment.

Citation: Kolcaba K, Fox C. The effects of guided imagery on comfort of women with early stage breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1999 Jan-Feb; 26(1):67-72

Coping, life attitudes, and the immune responses to imagery and group support after breast cancer treatment.

Blair Justice, Mary Ann Richardson and their cohorts at the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, conducted a pilot study to differentiate the effects of imagery vs. support on coping, attitude, immune function and emotional well-being after breast cancer. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: standard care, weekly support (for 6 weeks) or imagery sessions (for 6 weeks).  

Katherine Kolcaba, PhD, RN (U of Akron) and Christine Fox, PhD, (U of Toledo) found guided imagery to be an effective intervention for increasing comfort and reducing anxiety in 53 women with early stage breast cancer undergoing Radiation Therapy. The investigators designed and recorded imagery specifically for this study. Subjects were most likely to listen just before a treatment.

Citation: Kolcaba K, Fox C. The effects of guided imagery on comfort of women with early stage breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1999 Jan-Feb; 26(1):67-72