Mindfulness-based cancer recovery and supportive-expressive therapy maintain telomere length relative to controls in distressed breast cancer survivors
Author: Linda E. Carlson PhD1,2,4,*, Tara L. Beattie PhD1,3,4, Janine Giese-Davis PhD1,2,4, Peter Faris PhD2, Rie Tamagawa PhD1,2, Laura J. Fick PhD3,4, Erin S. Degelman MSc3,4 andMichael Speca PsyD1,2
Affiliation:
1Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 4Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute, Health Research Innovation Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada *Corresponding author: Linda E. Carlson, PhD, Department of Psychosocial Resources, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, 1331 29 St NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N2; Fax: (403) 355-3206; lcarlso@ucalgary.ca
Conference/Journal: Wiley Online Library Issue Cancer
Date published: 2014 Nov 3
Other:
Special Notes: DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29063 , Word Count: 307
Keywords:
psychosocial interventions;mindfulness-based stress reduction;supportive-expressive therapy;telomere length;clinical trial
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Group psychosocial interventions including mindfulness-based cancer recovery (MBCR) and supportive-expressive group therapy (SET) can help breast cancer survivors decrease distress and influence cortisol levels. Although telomere length (TL) has been associated with breast cancer prognosis, the impact of these two interventions on TL has not been studied to date.
METHODS
The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of MBCR and SET with a minimal intervention control condition (a 1-day stress management seminar) on TL in distressed breast cancer survivors in a randomized controlled trial. MBCR focused on training in mindfulness meditation and gentle Hatha yoga whereas SET focused on emotional expression and group support. The primary outcome measure was relative TL, the telomere/single-copy gene ratio, assessed before and after each intervention. Secondary outcomes were self-reported mood and stress symptoms.
RESULTS
Eighty-eight distressed breast cancer survivors with a diagnosis of stage I to III cancer (using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system) who had completed treatment at least 3 months prior participated. Using analyses of covariance on a per-protocol sample, there were no differences noted between the MBCR and SET groups with regard to the telomere/single-copy gene ratio, but a trend effect was observed between the combined intervention group and controls (F [1,84], 3.82; P = .054; η2 = .043); TL in the intervention group was maintained whereas it was found to decrease for control participants. There were no associations noted between changes in TL and changes in mood or stress scores over time.
CONCLUSIONS
Psychosocial interventions providing stress reduction and emotional support resulted in trends toward TL maintenance in distressed breast cancer survivors, compared with decreases in usual care. Cancer 2014. © 2014 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.29063/full
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