Imagery intervention for recovering breast cancer patients: clinical trial of safety and efficacy

J Soc Integr Oncol. 2008 Spring;6(2):67-75.

Abstract

In a phase I National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded clinical trial, 34 breast cancer survivors, six weeks to one year post-treatment, were recruited to participate in a 6-class, 8-week long imagery stress reduction program entitled "Envision the Rhythms of Life." Patients practiced imagery during and between sessions. Outcomes for quality of life and cortisol rhythm were assessed pre- to post-intervention, in two subsets of survivors (intravenous [IV] chemotherapy, or no IV chemotherapy). Thirty survivors completed the 8-week program. Quality of life outcomes demonstrated statistically and clinically significant outcomes for the functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) global index (p<.001), representing improvements in survivor quality of life related to physical, social/family, emotional, and function well-being. Survivors also improved significantly on the breast cancer (p<.001) and spiritual subscales (p = .008.) Brief symptom inventory (BSI) assessment reported significant improvement for the global index (p<.001) which included the categories of depression, somatization and anxiety. At eight weeks, cortisol rhythm, a biochemical indicator of stress and likelihood of cancer recurrence, produced a trend toward improvement for the fifth time point of the day (p = .18). Likert-based stress scales showed highly significant reductions in stress (p<.0001) with subjects practicing imagery the most producing the best scores. Outcomes suggest the imagery program may significantly improve survivor quality of life and reduce stress.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / complications
  • Breast Neoplasms / psychology
  • Breast Neoplasms / rehabilitation*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imagery, Psychotherapy / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life
  • Stress, Psychological / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Stress, Psychological / therapy*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Treatment Outcome