Mind-Body Medicine for Lymphoma

Overseen By Kathrin Milbury, MA,PHD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: Major psychiatric, Cognitive deficits, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 7

Duration: 5 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if meditation, a form of mind-body medicine, can improve the quality of life for young people with lymphoma, a type of cancer. It will explore whether meditation reduces feelings of distress, depression, and anxiety. Participants will join either a meditation group or an educational group, attending weekly sessions for five weeks. Suitable candidates have been diagnosed with lymphoma in the last six months and have internet access. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to explore meditation's potential benefits in enhancing well-being during cancer treatment.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It focuses on a mind-body intervention, so it's best to ask the trial coordinators for more details.

What prior data suggests that this mind-body intervention is safe for adolescents and young adults with lymphoma?

Research has shown that mind-body practices, such as meditation, are very safe. Studies indicate that patients, including those with cancer, respond well to these methods. Most people do not experience serious side effects. These practices primarily aim to improve mental health by reducing anxiety and stress, making them a gentle and safe option for many. Thus, participating in a trial that includes meditation should be a safe choice, particularly if the goal is to enhance quality of life. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about mind-body medicine for lymphoma because it offers a holistic approach that could complement existing treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Unlike conventional treatments that target the cancer cells directly, mind-body techniques focus on reducing stress and improving quality of life through meditation and educational sessions. This method aims to harness the power of the mind to support the body's natural healing processes, potentially enhancing overall well-being and resilience during cancer treatment.

What evidence suggests that this mind-body intervention is effective for improving quality of life in adolescents and young adults with lymphoma?

Research shows that activities like meditation can improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Studies have found that these practices reduce stress and boost mood in cancer survivors. For example, a large study found that mindfulness and Tai Chi improved mood in people experiencing cancer-related distress. Another study showed that mindfulness programs significantly enhanced quality of life compared to those who did not participate. In this trial, participants in Group I will attend meditation sessions, which may help adolescents and young adults with lymphoma by reducing distress, depression, and anxiety. Meanwhile, participants in Group II will attend educational sessions, serving as an active comparator to evaluate meditation's effects. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Kathrin Milbury, MA,PHD

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for young adults aged 18-39 recently diagnosed with any stage of Lymphoma. They should be relatively active (ECOG status 2 or below), have internet access, and be fluent in English. It's not suitable for those with major psychiatric issues or who are already in regular psychotherapy or cancer support groups.

Inclusion Criteria

Having access to the internet

Participants between the ages of 18-39 diagnosed within 6 months with stage I-IV Lymphoma (all types)

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2 or below

Exclusion Criteria

You are already attending regular therapy sessions or participating in a cancer support group.

Major psychiatric or cognitive deficits that would impede the completion of self-report instruments as deemed by the clinical team

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants attend meditation or educational group sessions once weekly for up to 5 weeks

5 weeks

5 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for psychological distress and cancer symptoms after treatment

12 weeks

2 visits (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Mind-Body Medicine

Trial Overview The study tests a mind-body intervention that includes educational materials, meditation therapy, and questionnaires to see if it improves life quality by reducing distress, depression, and anxiety among young lymphoma patients.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Group I (meditation) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Patients attend meditation group sessions over 75 minutes once weekly for up to 5 weeks.

Group II: Group II (educational) Active Control 2 Interventions

Patients attend educational group sessions over 75 minutes once weekly for up to 5 weeks.

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

A 10-week mind-body medicine program significantly reduced persistent fatigue in 68 breast cancer survivors, with fatigue scores improving by 40% after the intervention and sustained improvements observed at two and six months post-program.

The program demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing fatigue levels as measured by multiple scales, suggesting that holistic approaches can be beneficial for breast cancer survivors dealing with fatigue, warranting further investigation through randomized clinical trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fatigue in breast cancer survivors: the impact of a mind-body medicine intervention. Appling, SE., Scarvalone, S., MacDonald, R., et al.[2013]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3154703/

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Long ... This pilot study suggests that long-term lymphoma survivors appear to use CAM at a rate higher than the general population.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4428557/

Mind-Body Practices in Cancer Care - PMC - PubMed Central MBCR resulted in lower symptoms of stress compared to SET and the control group, and improved QOL compared to the control group. Contrary to their hypothesis, ...

3. cdn.clinicaltrials.gov cdn.clinicaltrials.gov/large-docs/23/NCT05982223/Prot_SAP_000.pdf

Effectiveness of integrative medicine treatments in ... The timing of outcomes' evaluation is summarized in Table 1. Safety and adverse events: A checklist with acupuncture adverse events based on the.

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735824001260

Positive health outcomes of mindfulness-based ... The present study is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the impact of MBIs on positive health outcomes in cancer ...

5. ascopubs.org ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO-24-02540

Mindfulness and Tai Chi for Cancer Health (MATCH) Study This large, pragmatic trial demonstrated both mindfulness and TCQ interventions improved mood in distressed cancer survivors.

6. urmc.rochester.edu urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/science-backs-mind-body-tools-like-meditation-and-music-for-cancer-related-anxiety

Science Backs Mind-Body Tools Like Meditation and Music for ... Evidence shows that mindfulness-based interventions, such as meditation, are the most effective therapies for cancer-related anxiety and ...

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05982223?term=reflexology&viewType=Table&limit=100&page=2&rank=111

NCT05982223 | Integrative Medicine in Lymphoma Survivors The frequency of mind-body therapy (hypnosis, guided imagery) will be defined by the integrative team in coordination with the patient, based on evidence-based ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4666508/

Widespread Use of Complementary and Alternative ... Among our population of NHL survivors, 89% reported having ever used any CAM modality (Table 3). The most commonly used CAM modality was vitamins and minerals ...

9. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388123000920

Mind-body therapies adjuvant to chemotherapy improve ... Their treatment with chemotherapy often results in adverse effects on quality of life, fatigue and functional exercise capacity amongst patients. Mind-body ...