title: Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being in stage 0 to III breast cancer: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for mood, breast- and endocrine-specific quality of life, and well-being after hospital treatment in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, wait-listed, controlled trial was carried out in 229 women after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy for breast cancer. Patients were randomly assigned to the 8-week MBSR program or standard care. Profile of Mood States (POMS; primary outcome), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endocrine Symptoms (FACT-ES) scales and the WHO five-item well-being questionnaire (WHO-5) evaluated mood, quality of life, and well-being at weeks 0, 8, and 12. For each outcome measure, a repeated-measures analysis of variance model, which incorporated week 0 measurements as a covariate, was used to compare treatment groups at 8 and 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistically significant improvements in outcome in the experimental group compared with control group at both 8 and 12 weeks (except as indicated) for POMS total mood disturbance (and its subscales of anxiety, depression [8 weeks only], anger [12 weeks only], vigor, fatigue, and confusion [8 weeks only]), FACT-B, FACT-ES, (and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy subscales of physical, social [8 weeks only], emotional, and functional well-being), and WHO-5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSBR improved mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being more effectively than standard care in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer, and these results persisted at three months. To our knowledge, this study provided novel evidence that MBSR can help alleviate long-term emotional and physical adverse effects of medical treatments, including endocrine treatments. MBSR is recommended to support survivors of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: The Haven, Effie Rd, London SW6 1TB, United Kingdom. caroline.hoffman@thehaven.org.uk
authors.forename: Caroline J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ersser
authors.forename: Jane B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hopkinson
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: Julia E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists