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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Women with Breast and Gynecologic Cancers

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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

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Abstract

Diagnosis and treatment of cancer are associated with substantial challenges to quality of life (QOL) and high rates of psychological distress. As survival rates improve and more cancer patients are living longer, identifying effective, cost-efficient psychosocial interventions to alleviate disease burden is increasingly important. We evaluated a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program modified for oncology settings among women with breast and gynecologic cancer. Consistent with our hypotheses, significant improvements in distress, QOL, mindfulness and posttraumatic growth were observed after completion of the program and these gains were maintained 3 months later. Participants perceived the group program to be acceptable and beneficial. Inclusion of the formal MBCT program in routine clinical care in our setting, however, proved too expensive, prompting the evaluation of an alternative, abbreviated group-focused mindfulness meditation program (MMP). Comparison of outcomes between the formal MBCT program and the less resource-intensive MMP provide preliminary evidence of equivalence in improvements observed in distress, QOL and mindfulness, in the short term. Overall, these findings add to the limited existing data on MBCT in oncology settings and demonstrate the potential benefits of meditation in a heterogeneous group of women with cancer.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by generous financial contribution from the Collier Charitable Trust and the Preston and Loui Geduld Trust. The Centre for Women’s Mental Health is supported by the Pratt Foundation.

Conflict of interest

The authors do not have a financial relationship with the Pratt Foundation, the Collier Charitable Trust or the Preston and Loui Geduld Trust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Royal Women’s Hospital, Locked Bag 300, Corner Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia

    Lesley Stafford Ph.D. & Naomi Thomas Ph.D.

  2. Mind Potential, Shop 2/ 52 President Avenue, Caringbah, NSW, 2229, Australia

    Elizabeth Foley Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Lesley Stafford Ph.D.
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  2. Naomi Thomas Ph.D.
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  3. Elizabeth Foley Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lesley Stafford Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The UCSF Dep.Cent.,Langley Porter Psy.In, University of California, San Franc, San Francisco, California, USA

    Stuart J. Eisendrath

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Stafford, L., Thomas, N., Foley, E. (2016). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Women with Breast and Gynecologic Cancers. In: Eisendrath, S. (eds) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29866-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29866-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29864-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-29866-5

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