FACULTY OF MEDICINE, DENTISTRY AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Whats the new evidence for mindfulness meditation in cancer care?

Associate Professor Kellie Bennett

School of Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences The University of Western Australia

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation involves deliberately focusing attention on the present without judgement. Kabat-Zinn, 2005

The University of Western Australia

Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness refers to a process that leads to a mental state characterized by non-judgmental awareness of the present moment experience including: Sensations Thoughts Bodily states Consciousness Environment

Encouraging openness, curiosity, and acceptance Thinking beyond auto-pilot

The University of Western Australia

Mindfulness based therapies

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) Relapse prevention (RP)

Baer, 2003

The University of Western Australia

Mindfulness based therapies

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) Developed as an 8 week group program to assist patients living with chronic pain. Body Scan, Sitting Meditation, Hatha Yoga Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) A cognitive therapy adaptation of MBSR which was designed to be used to prevent relapse and recurrence of depression in those who are in recovery

The University of Western Australia

Meta-analyses
Article Baer, 2003 Grossman et al., 2004 Ledesma & Kumano, 2009 Bohlmeijer et al., 2010 Hoffman et al. 2010 Number of studies 20 (N = 1293) 64 (N = 1605) 10 (N = 583) 8 (N =331) 39 (N=1140) Intervention Evidence MBCT & MBSR MBSR MBSR MBSR Improvements in areas of chronic pain Benefits for mental health & physical health Stress reduction in patients with cancer Small effect on depression, anxiety & psychological distress Moderate effect on anxiety reduction & mood symptoms

MBCT & MBSR

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Clinical outcomes of mindfulness meditation

may help a broad range of individuals to cope with their clinical and non-clinical problems. Grossman, 2004

Stress Anxiety Depression Coping Chronic pain Sleep disturbance

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Significant improvements in anxiety, depression, stress, sexual difficulties, physiological arousal across all interventions.

The University of Western Australia

Impact of meditation
Chiesa and Serretti, 2010
(Chiesa and Serretti, 2010)

The University of Western Australia

Impact of Meditation: Psychological

Increased monitoring of thought processes

Increased identification of rumination about future/past leading to decreased rumination as a problem-solving technique
Reducing habitual tendencies to categorize experiences

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Impact of meditation Impact of Meditation: Biological

Enhanced cerebral activity in brain areas Stronger brain activity in meditators than non-meditators Holzel et al (2007)

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Meditators
Non-meditators

Insula

Prefrontal

Some brain areas are thicker in practitioners of meditation than control subjects who do not meditate.
Lazar, et al 2005
The University of Western Australia

Impact of meditation

(Chiesa and Serretti, 2010)

The University of Western Australia

2012

The University of Western Australia

Mindfulness in Oncology
Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) is become a very popular form of treatment for stress reduction and depression Increasingly being offered in clinics and hospitals in USA, UK, Australia Increasing evidence base

Increasing support

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2012-2013 Collaborative Research Project

The University of Western Australia SolarisCare Cancer Council WA WA Psycho-Oncology Service The Marion Centre

WAPOS WA Psycho-Oncology Service

The University of Western Australia

2012 onwards
Research is ongoing One size doesnt fit all Meditation appears to reduce stress and improve mood, quality of life, sleep Possible impact on pain Immune functioning.

Electrodes measure a Tibetan monk's brain activity National Geographic

The University of Western Australia