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Chemotherapy
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Guided Imagery Up-Regulates Anti-Cancer Defenses in Breast Cancer Patients |
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Sunday, 18 January 2009 |
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Researchers from United Lincolnshire Hospitals and Queen's Medical Centre in the UK performed a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the immuno-modulatory effects of relaxation training and guided imagery on 80 women with breast cancer.
Patients underwent chemotherapy followed by surgery, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. Those in the intervention group were taught relaxation and guided imagery. Patients kept diaries of the frequency of relaxation practice and imagery vividness.
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Mindfulness Beefs Up Immune Capability for Women with Breast Cancer (Who Knew?) |
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Monday, 13 October 2008 |
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Researchers from the Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University of Chicago, used a non-randomized, controlled design to evaluate the effect and feasibility of a mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) program on immune function, quality of life (QOL), and coping in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
Early stage breast cancer patients, who did not receive chemotherapy, self-selected into an 8-week MBSR program or into an assessment-only control group. Outcomes were evaluated over time. The first assessment was at least 10 days after surgery and prior to adjuvant therapy, as well as before the MBSR start-up. Further assessments were mid-MBSR, at completion of MBSR, and at 4-week post-MBSR completion.
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Feasibility of a reflexology and guided imagery intervention during chemotherapy: results of a quasi |
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Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
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A recent study by Gwen Wyatt and her team at Michigan State University concludes that reflexology as a single complementary therapy is a feasible option for women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Investigators at The College of Nursing, Michigan State University,
compared patients who chose (1) reflexology, (2) guided imagery, (3)
guided imagery plus reflexology or (4) interview-only, in this
non-randomised, unblinded trial with 96 women undergoing chemotherapy
for various cancers.
Data on demographics, depression, anxiety, and functional status were
collected using established instruments. Quality of life (QOL) and
patient characteristics were assessed in relation to which
complementary therapy was chosen. |
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Two forms of stress management training for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. |
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Wednesday, 18 April 2007 |
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Researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center find that self-administered stress management training for chemo patients, via audio, video and print materials, was as effective as a live human doing the training.
Researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center & University of South Florida in Tampa studied responses of 411 randomly assigned cancer patients about to begin chemotherapy, comparing the effects of (1) standard psychosocial care only, (2) a professionally administered form of stress management training (which included deep breathing, progressive relaxation + imagery and affirmations), or a patient self-administered form of the same stress management training, using video, audio and printed guidance. |
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Effect of a cognitive behavioral intervention on reducing symptom severity during chemotherapy |
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Monday, 22 March 2004 |
Researchers from Michigan State University reported on their
randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of a
cognitive behavioral intervention on reducing symptom severity for
patients diagnosed with solid tumors and undergoing a first course of
chemotherapy. Investigators also looked into whether or not the
intervention had an additive or interactive effect on symptom severity,
alongside the use of supportive medications.
Patients (n = 237) were accrued from comprehensive and community cancer
centers, interviewed, and randomly assigned to either the experimental
intervention (n = 118) or conventional care (n = 119). A symptom
severity index, based on summed severity scores across 15 symptoms, was
the primary measure of outcome. In addition, information was collected
from medical records about each patient''s cancer site, the stage at
diagnosis, history of chemotherapy protocols, and use of supportive
medications. |
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A comparison of guided imagery techniques with chemotherapy patients. |
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Monday, 01 March 2004 |
A study of chemotherapy patients at The UCSF Mt. Zion Infusion Center by Phaedra Caruso, PhD and Trudy Helge, PhD
(at the time doctoral candidates in psychology), compared two kinds of
guided imagery - self-generated, unique, fill-in-the-blank type imagery
vs. "canned" imagery - standardized, physiologically-based, scripted
imagery - along with a third condition: a progressive relaxation tape.
All three interventions were recorded by the same person - imagery
expert Martin Rossman MD - and offered as part of a four-session course.
When the data were analyzed and broken down, Caruso and Helge found
that both kinds of guided imagery performed equally well, and
significantly better than the progressive relaxation, in reducing
depression and anxiety for the patients - indeed, increasingly so over
time. |
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A comparison of guided imagery techniques with chemotherapy patients. |
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Monday, 01 March 2004 |
A study of chemotherapy patients at The UCSF Mt. Zion Infusion Center by Phaedra Caruso, PhD and Trudy Helge, PhD
(at the time doctoral candidates in psychology), compared two kinds of
guided imagery - self-generated, unique, fill-in-the-blank type imagery
vs. "canned" imagery - standardized, physiologically-based, scripted
imagery - along with a third condition: a progressive relaxation tape.
All three interventions were recorded by the same person - imagery
expert Martin Rossman MD - and offered as part of a four-session course.
When the data were analyzed and broken down, Caruso and Helge found
that both kinds of guided imagery performed equally well, and
significantly better than the progressive relaxation, in reducing
depression and anxiety for the patients - indeed, increasingly so over
time. |
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Preparing patients for cancer chemotherapy: effect of coping and relaxation interventions. |
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Thursday, 14 August 2003 |
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Preparing patients for cancer chemotherapy: effect of coping preparation and relaxation interventions.
Burish, Snyder and Jenkins, the highly regarded Vanderbilt University team known for its many studies of imagery and chemotherapy, assessed the effectiveness of biofeedback and relaxation training in reducing the aversive side effects of cancer chemotherapy on 81 patients. |
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Relaxation training and guided imagery for mood and quality of life before chemotherapy |
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Thursday, 14 August 2003 |
Ninety-six women with newly diagnosed, large or locally advanced breast
cancer were randomly assigned to either standard care, or standard care
plus relaxation training and guided imagery (imagining host defences
destroying tumor cells) at the University of Aberdeen Behavioural
Oncology Unit in the UK. They were tested for mood and quality of life
before each of the six cycles of chemotherapy and 3 weeks after cycle
six. Clinical response to the chemo was also assessed. As hypothesized,
the relaxation/imagery patients were more relaxed, had better quality
of life, and less emotional suppression. There was no difference in
clinical outcomes or pathological response to the chemotherapy. The
study concludes that these simple, easy-to-implement and inexpensive
interventions should be offered to patients wishing to improve their
quality of life during the rigors of chemotherapy.
Citation:
Walker, Walker, Ogston, Heys, Ah-See, Miller, Hutcheon, Sarkar and
Eremin. The British Journal of Cancer 1999 April;80(1-2): pp 262-268. |
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