title: Immune responses to guided imagery during breast cancer treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of relaxation and guided imagery to reduce stress and improve immune function has great potential benefits for patients with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study used a pretest-posttest experimental design with 28 breast cancer patients, aged 25 to 75 years, with the diagnosis of stage 0, 1, or 2 breast cancer. The experimental group received a relaxation and guided imagery intervention and the control group received standard care. The effects of the intervention on immune function were measured by natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and IL-2-activated NK cell activity prior to surgery and 4 weeks postsurgery. NK cell activity was measured using a 15-hr incubation chromium release assay. Cytotoxicity of NK cells was measured against chromium-labeled K-562 target cells. IL-2 was used to enhance reactivity of NK cells against tumor cells. After incubation for 15 hr, cytotoxicity was measured through the release of radioactive chromium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between groups were found at 4 weeks postsurgery. T-tests showed increased NK cell cytotoxicity for the intervention group at 100:1, 50:1, and 25:1 effector cell: target cell ratios (E:T) (p < .01 to p < .05) and increased activation for IL-2 at 100:1, 50:1, 25:1, and 12.5:1 (E:T) (p < .01 to p < .05) for the intervention group as compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that a relaxation intervention such as guided imagery could have an effect on NK cell cytotoxicity and NK cell cytotoxicity after activation with IL-2 in patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer.
authors: University of South Florida College of Nursing, Tampa, FL 33612-4766, USA. clengach@health.usf.edu
authors: Cecile A
authors: CA
authors: Lengacher
authors: Mary P
authors: MP
authors: Bennett
authors: Lois
authors: L
authors: Gonzalez
authors: Danielle
authors: D
authors: Gilvary
authors: Charles E
authors: CE
authors: Cox
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Cantor
authors: Paul B
authors: PB
authors: Jacobsen
authors: Chiu
authors: C
authors: Yang
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Djeu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2