Guided Meditation for Cancer

Overseen By The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: Non-English speakers, Incarcerated, Dementia, ICU, Hearing impairment

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on using guided meditation to reduce anxiety before surgery.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Guided Meditation for cancer patients?

Research suggests that meditation can significantly reduce anxiety and depression in cancer patients, improve their quality of life, and may even slow tumor growth in some cases. Meditation practices like Isha Kriya and meditative slow breathing have been found acceptable among hospitalized cancer patients, indicating potential benefits. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is guided meditation safe for humans?

Research shows that while meditation can have benefits, there are some reported side effects, mostly related to mental health, followed by physical and spiritual health. It's important for researchers to screen participants and assess risks, but generally, meditation is considered safe for most people. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does guided meditation differ from other treatments for cancer?

Guided meditation is unique because it focuses on improving the quality of life and reducing distress through mindfulness and relaxation techniques, rather than directly targeting cancer cells like traditional treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. It can be practiced during chemotherapy sessions using tools like iPads, making it a flexible and non-invasive option for patients. ^{1 2 7 11 12}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This clinical trial tests how well guided meditation, compared to silence, works to reduce pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing cancer-directed surgery. Pre-operative anxiety affects patient experience and has been found to be a predictor of severe post-operative pain and chronic pain after surgery, influencing the success and quality of a patient's recovery. While medication is often prescribed to improve anxiety symptoms, research has showed that mindfulness techniques can be used to decrease anxiety, improve comfort, and can impact both psychological and physiologic symptoms. Completing pre-operative guided meditation may work well to reduce pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing cancer directive surgery.

Research Team

Maryanna Klatt, PhD

Principal Investigator

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for patients with uterine tumors or cancer who are scheduled for surgery. Participants should be interested in trying guided meditation to potentially reduce their anxiety before the operation.

Inclusion Criteria

I am scheduled for surgery to treat my cancer.

Exclusion Criteria

Currently incarcerated

Have a hearing impairment that would make them unable to hear the recorded meditation

I have been diagnosed with dementia.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-Operative Intervention

Participants undergo a 10-minute session of either guided meditation or wearing noise-cancelling headphones prior to surgery

10 minutes

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for post-operative outcomes, including anxiety and opiate use, for up to 6 months

6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Guided Meditation

Trial Overview The study is examining if guided meditation can help lower pre-operative anxiety compared to sitting in silence. Patients' experiences and recovery may benefit from reduced anxiety without relying on medication.

Participant Groups

Group I: Arm I (guided meditation) Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Patients listen to 10 minutes of guided meditation prior to surgery.

Group II: Arm II (noise cancelling headphones) Active Control 3 Interventions

Patients wear noise cancelling headphones for 10 minutes prior to surgery.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

350

Recruited

295,000+

Findings from Research

Five studies on meditation interventions for cancer patients showed that while the design did not isolate meditation's effects, four of them reported significant improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety.

There is a growing recognition that meditation may enhance spiritual well-being, which could positively impact the quality of life for cancer patients, but more rigorously designed studies are needed to confirm these effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Does meditation improve the quality of life for patients living with cancer?]. Lamanque, P., Daneault, S.[2018]

A clinical trial involving 40 hospitalized cancer patients tested two meditation practices, Isha Kriya (IK) and meditative slow breathing (MSB), showing that both practices were acceptable, with 12 out of 15 participants responding positively to the meditation experience by day 7.

The study faced challenges in feasibility, as only 39% of eligible patients participated, and factors like high morbidity and limited time for meditation hindered consistent practice, suggesting that future research should focus on shorter-term outcomes and better support for participants.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized Feasibility Study of Meditative Practices in Hospitalized Cancer Patients. Narayanan, S., Reddy, A., Lopez, G., et al.[2021]

Mindfulness meditation (MM) can have side effects, particularly related to mental health, physical health, and spiritual well-being, highlighting the need for safety considerations in research.

The paper provides practical tools for researchers, including screening procedures to assess participant contraindications and guidelines for MM training, based on a review of 17 primary studies and 5 secondary reports on meditation side effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness meditation research: issues of participant screening, safety procedures, and researcher training. Lustyk, MK., Chawla, N., Nolan, RS., et al.[2022]

A systematic review of 83 studies involving 6703 participants found that 8.3% experienced adverse events (AEs) related to meditation, with higher prevalence in observational studies (33.2%) compared to experimental studies (3.7%).

The most common adverse events included anxiety (33%), depression (27%), and cognitive anomalies (25%), indicating that meditation can lead to negative effects, even in individuals without prior mental health issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies: a systematic review. Farias, M., Maraldi, E., Wallenkampf, KC., et al.[2021]

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) shows promising psychological benefits for cancer patients, as indicated by various instruments measuring its impact, although the effectiveness of these instruments varies.

The review highlights the need for more rigorous intervention studies on MBSR in cancer care to better understand its benefits and to refine the tools used to measure its effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Measuring the psychological impact of mindfulness meditation on health among patients with cancer: a literature review. Matchim, Y., Armer, JM.[2007]

References

1. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Does meditation improve the quality of life for patients living with cancer?]. [2018]

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

Randomized Feasibility Study of Meditative Practices in Hospitalized Cancer Patients. [2021]

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

Use of Mindfulness Sitting Meditation in Chinese American Women in Treatment of Cancer. [2022]

4. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The psychological treatment of cancer: the patient's confusion of the time for living with the time for dying. [2008]

5. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What can the cancer patient expect from intensive meditation? [2008]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meditation involving people with cancer, medical staff and witnesses: a pilot study exploring improvement in wellness and connectedness. [2022]

7. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Leveraging iPads to introduce meditation and reduce distress among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a promising approach. [2018]

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

Mindfulness meditation research: issues of participant screening, safety procedures, and researcher training. [2022]

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

Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies: a systematic review. [2021]

10. Scotland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of meditation on anxiety, depression, fatigue, and quality of life of women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer. [2013]

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

Measuring the psychological impact of mindfulness meditation on health among patients with cancer: a literature review. [2007]

12. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The meaning of integrative guided imagery relaxation therapy for women with breast cancer. [2022]