title: The effect of a contemplative self-healing program on quality of life in women with breast and gynecologic cancers.
abstract: Stress-related symptoms-intense fear, avoidance, intrusive thoughts--are common among breast and gynecologic cancer patients after chemotherapy and radiation. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the impact of a 20-week contemplative self-healing program among breast and gynecologic cancer survivors on self-reported quality of life (QOL), the main outcome. Assessments were performed at the first session and at 20 weeks, including QOL (FACIT-G, FACIT subscales, SF-36), anxiety, and depression (HADS). Biologic markers of immune function were obtained. A 20-week program was implemented: the initial 8 weeks addressed open-mindfulness, social-emotional self-care, visualization, and deep breathing followed by 12 weeks of exposing stress-reactive habits and developing self-healing insights. Daily practice involved CD-guided meditation and manual contemplations. Sixty-eight women were enrolled, and 46 (68%) completed the program. Participants had significant within-patient changes on FACIT-G, improving by a mean of 6.4 points. In addition, they reported clinically important improvement in emotional and functional domains and social, role-emotional, and mental health status domains on SF-36. Biologic data revealed significant improvement in maximum AM cortisol and a reduction in resting heart rate at 20 weeks. These findings suggest a contemplative self-healing program can be effective in significantly improving QOL and reducing distress and disability among female breast and gynecologic cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Loizzo
authors.forename: Janey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Charlson
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altemus
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: Linda T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Vahdat
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Caputo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016387:Women's Health