Mindfulness‐based cancer recovery and supportive‐expressive therapy maintain telomere length relative to controls in distressed breast cancer survivors
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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; η(2) = .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.
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In a sample of 88 breast cancer survivors, those in the MBCR group and also in a supportive-expressive therapy group maintained telomere length over 4 months while undergoing interventions, while those randomized to a control condition evidenced shortened telomere lengths.
“In the first report on the effects in cancer survivors of an MBI on telomere length, a putative marker of cell aging and risk factor for cancer progression, we found in a sample of 88 breast cancer survivors that those in the MBCR group (and also in a supportive-expressive therapy group) maintained telomere length over the course of 4 months while undergoing interventions, while those randomized”
From Psychosocial and Integrative Oncology: Interventions Across the Disease Trajectory. (2023) · cites this paper as Carlson et al. 2015
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredTelomere length can dynamically change throughout an individual's life period in response to environmental factors and stress.
“Additionally, telomere length can be dynamically change throughout an individual's life period in response to environmental factors and stress [35-37].”
From Markers of cellular senescence. Telomere shortening as a marker of cellular senescence (2016) · cites this paper as [37]
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- Authors
- Carlson, L. E., Beattie, T. L., Giese‐Davis, J., Faris, P., Tamagawa, R., Fick, L. J., Degelman, E. S., & Speca, M.
- Affiliations
- Alberta Health Services (CA)
- University of Calgary (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Carlson, Linda E.
- Venue
- Cancer
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-11-03
- Volume
- 121
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 476-484
- ISSN
- 0008-543X (ISSN-L)
- 1097-0142
- OpenAlex
- W2150614340
- Cited by
- 194
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 7.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Cancer (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Libraries and Cultural Resources (University of Calgary) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Alberta Cancer Foundation (25010)
- Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (17728)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response
- Keywords
- supportive-expressive group therapy, telomere length, breast cancer survivors, psychological distress, psychosocial interventions, stress reduction, hatha yoga, mindfulness meditation, emotional expression, mood, cortisol
- MeSH terms
- Breast Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Longitudinal Studies, Middle Aged, Psychotherapy, Yoga, Telomere, Survivors, Meditation, Mindfulness
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