title: Mindfulness meditation for younger breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Premenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer are at risk for psychological and behavioral disturbances after cancer treatment. Targeted interventions are needed to address the needs of this vulnerable group.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized trial provided the first evaluation of a brief, mindfulness-based intervention for younger breast cancer survivors designed to reduce stress, depression, and inflammatory activity. Women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer at or before age 50 who had completed cancer treatment were randomly assigned to a 6-week Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPS) intervention group (n = 39) or to a wait-list control group (n = 32). Participants completed questionnaires before and after the intervention to assess stress and depressive symptoms (primary outcomes) as well as physical symptoms, cancer-related distress, and positive outcomes. Blood samples were collected to examine genomic and circulating markers of inflammation. Participants also completed questionnaires at a 3-month follow-up assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In linear mixed models, the MAPS intervention led to significant reductions in perceived stress (P = .004) and marginal reductions in depressive symptoms (P = .094), as well as significant reductions in proinflammatory gene expression (P = .009) and inflammatory signaling (P = .001) at postintervention. Improvements in secondary outcomes included reduced fatigue, sleep disturbance, and vasomotor symptoms and increased peace and meaning and positive affect (P < .05 for all). Intervention effects on psychological and behavioral measures were not maintained at the 3-month follow-up assessment, although reductions in cancer-related distress were observed at that assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A brief, mindfulness-based intervention demonstrated preliminary short-term efficacy in reducing stress, behavioral symptoms, and proinflammatory signaling in younger breast cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Julienne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: Alexandra D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Crosswell
authors.forename: Annette L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Crespi
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Winston
authors.forename: Jesusa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arevalo
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Steve W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ganz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D019122:Meditation; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: breast cancer; inflammation; mindfulness; premenopausal; stress