Individualised mindfulness‐based stress reduction for head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy of curative intent: a descriptive pilot study
Open accessAbstract
People with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience elevated symptom toxicity and co-morbidity as a result of treatment, which is associated with poorer psychosocial and quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes. This Phase I study examined whether an individualised mindfulness-based stress reduction (IMBSR) programme could be successfully used with HNC patients undergoing curative treatment. Primary aims were to explore feasibility, compliance, acceptability and fidelity. Secondary aims were to determine whether (1) participation in the intervention was associated with changes in post-intervention mindfulness and (2) post-intervention mindfulness was associated with post-intervention distress and QoL. Nineteen HNC patients participated in a seven-session IMBSR programme with pre- and post-test outcome measures of psychological distress, depression, anxiety and QoL. Primary aims were assessed by therapists or participants. Mindfulness, distress and QoL were assessed using self-report questionnaires at pre- and post-intervention. Longer time spent meditating daily was associated with higher post-intervention mindfulness. After controlling for pre-intervention mindfulness, there was an association between higher post-intervention mindfulness and lower psychological distress and higher total, social and emotional QoL. This study offers important preliminary evidence than an IMBSR intervention can be administered to HNC patients during active cancer treatment. A randomised controlled trial is warranted to confirm these findings.
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Mindfulness-based stress reduction has been reported to lower psychological distress and improve total, social, and emotional quality of life among head and neck cancer patients.
“Moreover, MBSR has been reported to lower psychological distress and improve total, social, and emotional QoL among head and neck cancer patients [50].”
From Acceptance and commitment therapy versus mindfulness-based stress reduction for newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial assessing efficacy for positive psychology, depression, anxiety, and quality of life (2022) · cites this paper as [50]
In “Changes in psychological distress and QoL” and Table 4, total quality of life was significantly lower after the intervention, while total psychological distress did not significantly decrease. Tension-anxiety did decrease, and the paper reports associations between higher post-intervention mindfulness and better distress and QoL scores, but those associations do not establish the claimed improvements from MBSR. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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“Moreover, MBSR has been reported to lower psychological distress and improve total, social, and emotional QoL among head and neck cancer patients [50].”
Background
- Authors
- Pollard, A., Burchell, J. L., Castle, D., Neilson, K., Ftanou, M., Corry, J., Rischin, D., Kissane, D. W., Krishnasamy, M., Carlson, L. E., & Couper, J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (AU)
- Monash Medical Centre (AU)
- University of Calgary (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Pollard, A.
- Venue
- European Journal of Cancer Care
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-03-07
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e12474
- ISSN
- 0961-5423 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2294838265
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 6.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Journal of Cancer Care (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- beyondblue
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- mindfulness-based stress reduction, head and neck cancer, radiotherapy, curative treatment, psychological distress, quality of life, depression, anxiety, meditation, feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, individualised intervention
- MeSH terms
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck, Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Australia, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, Depression, Female, Head and Neck Neoplasms, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Linear Models, Young Adult, Mindfulness
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