title: Dose effects of relaxation practice on immune responses in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer: an exploratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the dose effects of relaxation practice on immune responses and describe the types of relaxation techniques preferred and the extent of relaxation practice over 10 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, prospective, repeated measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interdisciplinary breast clinic at a university-affiliated comprehensive cancer center in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  49 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and undergoing adjuvant therapy who participated in a stress management intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relaxation practice was assessed twice a month for 10 months with immune measurements (e.g., natural killer cell activity; lymphocyte proliferation; interferon [IFN]-γ; interleukin [IL]-2, -4, -6, and -10) at the beginning and end of 10-month practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relaxation practice (representing the concepts of stress and adherence), relaxation technique, and immune response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for covariates, the extent of relaxation practice significantly contributed to the variance of natural killer cell activity, lymphocyte proliferation, IL-4, and IL-10 responses in a positive direction; the higher the relaxation practice, the higher the immune responses. In comparison, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-6 responses were not affected. The deep-breathing method was most preferred by participants, followed by progressive relaxation and imagination or visualization. The mean weekly frequency of relaxation practice was 5.29 (SD = 3.35), and the mean duration of relaxation practice was 19.16 (SD = 10.81) minutes per session.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent relaxation practice may have positive effects on multiple immune responses in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allowing the choice of preferred techniques and emphasizing the importance of long-term adherence, a relaxation program may need to be routinely offered to women under high stress.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Texas-Houston, USA. duck-hee.kang@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Duck-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Traci
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McArdle
authors.forename: Na-Jin
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carpenter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000451:nursing; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers