Self-Hypnosis for Recovery After Surgery in Female Reproductive System Cancer

Overseen By Larissa A. Meyer

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Must not be taking: Opioids

Disqualifiers: Psychiatric disease, Hearing impairment, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

152 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial studies how well self-hypnosis works in enhancing recovery after surgery in patients with gynecologic cancer. A guided relaxation method called self-hypnosis may help affect how patients feel pain and symptoms after surgery.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it does exclude patients who have been on long-acting opioids or frequent short-acting opioids recently. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

Is self-hypnosis safe for use in humans?

Research on self-hypnosis, including studies with breast cancer patients, suggests it is generally safe and can improve quality of life by reducing anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems without reported adverse effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does self-hypnosis differ from other treatments for recovery after surgery in female reproductive system cancer?

Self-hypnosis is unique because it focuses on mind-body techniques to help manage symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, which are common after surgery. Unlike traditional medical treatments, it empowers patients to actively participate in their recovery by practicing relaxation and self-care techniques, potentially improving their quality of life. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Self-Hypnosis for recovery after surgery in female reproductive system cancer?

Research shows that self-hypnosis can help reduce symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and emotional distress in cancer patients, and it may also shorten hospital stays after surgery. These findings suggest that self-hypnosis could be beneficial for recovery after surgery in female reproductive system cancer. ^{3 4 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Larissa A Meyer

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking patients scheduled for exploratory laparotomy due to suspected gynecologic cancer, who can participate in the Enhanced Recovery Pathway. They must be able to understand and consent to a randomized study and have no major psychiatric diseases or hearing impairments that would interfere with self-hypnosis.

Inclusion Criteria

Consents to being part of a randomized study

I am planning to join the Enhanced Recovery Program for gynecologic surgery.

I am mentally and physically able to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria

I have been taking opioids regularly for the past month.

I am scheduled for or might need surgery to fix a hernia in my belly area.

I am scheduled for or have had a pelvic exenteration.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-operative

Participants engage in pre-operative self-hypnosis to prepare for surgery

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Surgery and Immediate Recovery

Participants undergo open gynecologic surgery and receive usual care including multi-modal analgesia

1 day

Post-operative Recovery

Participants are monitored for post-surgical pain and recovery, including the use of self-hypnosis in Arm II

1 day

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Self-Hypnosis

Trial Overview The trial is testing if self-hypnosis can improve recovery after surgery for gynecologic cancer. Patients will use guided relaxation techniques aimed at reducing pain and discomfort post-surgery. The effectiveness of this method will be compared against standard care practices.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Arm II (usual care, self-hypnosis guided relaxation) Experimental Treatment 4 Interventions

Patients receive usual care as in Arm I. Patients also receive self-hypnosis guided relaxation by listening to MP3 on the ERAS pathway.

Group II: Arm I (usual care) Active Control 3 Interventions

Patients receive usual care including receipt of multi-modal analgesia and the injection of a local analgesic at the time of surgery on the ERAS pathway.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 36 head and neck cancer surgery patients, those who underwent a brief hypnosis intervention experienced significantly shorter postoperative hospital stays compared to those who received usual care without hypnosis.

Higher levels of hypnotizability in patients were associated with fewer surgical complications and less blood loss, suggesting that hypnosis may help improve surgical outcomes and reduce recovery time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Guided imagery, hypnosis and recovery from head and neck cancer surgery: an exploratory study. Rapkin, DA., Straubing, M., Holroyd, JC.[2022]

A group intervention combining self-care and self-hypnosis significantly reduced fatigue, sleep disturbances, and emotional distress in 95 female cancer survivors compared to a wait-list control group.

The positive effects of the hypnosis intervention were largely maintained one year after the treatment, suggesting potential long-term benefits for posttreatment cancer patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intervention Combining Self-Care and Self-Hypnosis on Fatigue, Sleep, and Emotional Distress in Posttreatment Cancer Patients: 1-Year Follow-Up. Grégoire, C., Faymonville, ME., Vanhaudenhuyse, A., et al.[2022]

A study involving 95 women with various cancer diagnoses showed that a self-hypnosis and self-care intervention significantly improved participants' quality of life, with 97.5% continuing to practice relaxation techniques after the program.

All components of the intervention, including group support and hypnosis exercises, were rated highly for their usefulness, indicating that a multicomponent approach may be effective in supporting cancer patients' self-care and well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Group Intervention Combining Self-Hypnosis and Self-Care in Oncology: Implementation in Daily Life and Perceived Usefulness. Grégoire, C., Faymonville, ME., Vanhaudenhuyse, A., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Guided imagery, hypnosis and recovery from head and neck cancer surgery: an exploratory study. [2022]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hypnosis for symptom management in women with breast cancer: a pilot study. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intervention Combining Self-Care and Self-Hypnosis on Fatigue, Sleep, and Emotional Distress in Posttreatment Cancer Patients: 1-Year Follow-Up. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Group Intervention Combining Self-Hypnosis and Self-Care in Oncology: Implementation in Daily Life and Perceived Usefulness. [2023]

5. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hypnosis and relaxation interventions for chronic pain management in cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial. [2022]

6. France pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[The impact of conversational hypnosis on the pre- and postoperative anxiety of patients in gynecological surgery versus ordinary practice: A comparative study]. [2019]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Self-Hypnosis Classes to Enhance the Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients. [2018]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized controlled trial of an 8-week intervention combining self-care and hypnosis for post-treatment cancer patients: study protocol. [2019]