• Cecile A Lengacher, Kevin E Kip, Michelle Barta, Janice Post-White, Paul B Jacobsen, Maureen Groer, Brandy Lehman, Manolete S Moscoso, Rajendra Kadel, Nancy Le, Loretta Loftus, Craig A Stevens, Mokenge P Malafa, and Melissa Molinari Shelton.
• University of South Florida, College of Nursing, Tampa, FL 33612-4476, USA. clengach@health.usf.edu
• J Holist Nurs. 2012 Sep 1; 30 (3): 170-85.

PurposeTo investigate whether a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for cancer (MBSR-C) improved psychological and physical symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and stress markers among advanced-stage cancer patients and caregivers.DesignA pilot within-subject design was used.MethodPatients previously diagnosed with advanced-stage breast, colon, lung, or prostate cancer and on treatment were recruited from the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. Twenty-six patient-caregiver dyads completed a modified 6-week, self-study MBSR-C program based on the Kabat-Zinn model. Psychological and physical symptoms and QOL were compared pre- and post-MBSR-C sessions. Salivary cortisol and interleukin-6 were assessed pre- and post-MBSR-C session at 1, 3, and 6 weeks.FindingsFollowing the 6-week MBSR program, patients showed improvements in stress and anxiety (p < .05); caregivers' psychological and QOL also improved but were not statistically significant. Both patients and caregivers had decreases in cortisol at Weeks 1 and 3 (p < .05) but not at Week 6. Similar to cortisol levels at Week 6, salivary interleukin-6 levels were lower overall (before/after an MBSR-C session), compared with Week 1 for patients and caregivers.ConclusionsMBSR-C may be a beneficial intervention for reducing stress, anxiety, cortisol levels, and symptoms in advanced-stage cancer patients and may also benefit caregivers.

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