The Effects of a Mindfulness Meditation Program on Quality of Life in Cancer Outpatients: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Objective. Numerous studies have investigated the efficacy of mindfulness meditation (MM) in managing quality of life (QoL) in cancer populations, yet only a few have studied the Asian population. The aim of this exploratory study is to evaluate the effect of a MM program on the QoL outcomes in Taiwanese cancer outpatients. Methods. Patients with various cancer diagnoses were enrolled and assigned to the MM group and usual care (UC) group. The meditation intervention consisted of 3 sessions held monthly. The outcomes of the whole intervention were measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument. Results. A total of 35 participants in the MM group and 34 in the UC group completed the study. The results showed that the postintervention scores were significantly higher than the preintervention scores in the MM group. In the UC group, there was no significant difference between preintervention and postintervention scores, except for the lower environment domain scores. There was no significant difference between the follow-up scores and postintervention scores in the MM group, indicating that improvement can be maintained for 3 months after completing the MM course. Conclusions. The present study provides preliminary outcomes of the effects on the QoL in Taiwanese cancer patients. The results suggest that MM may serve as an effective mind–body intervention for cancer patients to improve their QoL, and the benefits can persist over a 3-month follow-up period. This occurred in a diverse cancer population with various cancer diagnoses, strengthening the possibility of general use.

A Chinese Decoction, Kuan-Sin-Yin, Improves Autonomic Function and Cancer-Related Symptoms of Metastatic Colon Cancer

“…25 A pilot study showed that KSY improved the QoL in cancer patients based on the TCM concept of supplying qi energy. 5 Because KSY has been shown to safely suppress tumor growth in vivo and in vitro, 9 we used KSY in mCRC patients to observe the effect on AD.…”

Stress and Quality of Life of Patients with Cancer: The Mediating Role of Mindfulness

“…Today, patients are interested in using other methods such as meditation and psychological methods along with pharmaceutical methods [ 11 ]. Mindfulness is one of the methods affecting stress [ 12 ].…”

“…Mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety; improve sleep disorders; reduce depression and stress, self-harm, and aggressive behaviors, increase patience and relaxation in the treatment process; create enthusiasm and motivation to fight against disease; improve quality of life; reduce pain and suffering caused by illness; and strengthen the immune system [ 11 , 12 , 15 – 23 ]. In fact, meditation increases the feeling of well-being [ 24 ].…”

Meditation interventions among heart failure patients: An integrative review

“…The search terms "mindfulness OR meditation" and "heart failure" were used in combination. A rapidly growing area of high-quality research has been in the area of mindfulness-based meditation interventions, 9,11,12 which led to the inclusion of mindfulness as a search term. This search generated 58 articles after duplicates were removed ( Figure 1).…”

“…11 Additionally, meditation practice has also improved quality of life measures among cancer patients. 12 Poor sleep quality, limited exercise capacity, depressive symptoms, and poor quality of life are also of concern for patients with heart failure.…”