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Comparing the Impact of Four Types of Meditation Practices for Relaxation in Cancer Survivors

A Pilot Study Exploring Four Types of Meditation Practices for Relaxation Among Cancer Survivors

Status
Suspended
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06500377
Enrollment
44
Registered
2024-07-15
Start date
2024-06-17
Completion date
2027-03-12
Last updated
2026-09-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm, Malignant Solid Neoplasm

Brief summary

This clinical trial compares the impact of four types of meditation practices, breathing only, focused attention only, mindfulness only, and breathing, focused attention and mindfulness combined, for relaxation in cancer survivors. Studies show that many patients with cancer experience stress and anxiety. Meditation therapy uses a variety of techniques, such as breathing, sound, or movement, that may help to decrease distress and anxiety and enhance the health and quality of life of patients with cancer. The trial is being done to find out how meditation can help cancer survivors feel relaxed and attain a peaceful state of mind.

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. Assess the feasibility to attend and complete the meditation program as scheduled (combined arms) within six weeks. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the ability of breathing, mindfulness, focused attention, and a combination of all three meditation techniques to enhance relaxation in cancer survivors. II. Determine which meditation technique improves the outcome measures the most. III. Explore which meditation method is preferred by the subjects. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 arms. ARM I: Patients learn breathing only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study. ARM II: Patients learn focused attention only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study. ARM III: Patients learn mindfulness only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study. ARM IV: Patients learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.

Interventions

PROCEDUREBiospecimen Collection

Undergo saliva sample collection

Learn breathing only meditation

OTHERQuestionnaire Administration

Ancillary studies

Sponsors

City of Hope Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Documented written informed consent of the participant * Age: ≥ 18 years * Ability to understand and fluently speak English or Spanish * No previous training in mind-body relaxation techniques including meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong, guided imagery, mindfulness-based stress reduction, hypnosis, or cognitive behavior therapy, that exceeds 3 hours. Additionally, no regular practice of mind-body relaxation techniques, or formal experience with mind-body relaxation techniques within the past 12 months * Visual Analog Scale (VAS) anxiety score of \> 3 from a range from 0 to 10. A "0" means the lowest anxiety score and a "10" means the highest anxiety score * Long-term cancer survivors who received surgery to treat their cancer ( \> 6 months since last treatment) with no history of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other systemic therapy (e.g., hormonal therapy) and/or have completely recovered from surgery OR patients identified as having pre-cancerous lesions that have been surgically treated (e.g., colon polyp that has been removed) * Willingness to: * Provide salivary alpha-amylase sample * Complete stress tests and study questionnaires * Be monitored with a Bispectral Index (BIS) device

Exclusion criteria

* Inability to complete study required time and procedures as outlined in the study procedures section of the protocol * Must not have had previous serious illnesses that affect neurological functioning such as strokes, heart attacks, Parkinson disease, etc * Ongoing active psychiatric condition, depressive/bi-polar related disorders, anxiety, psychosis disorders, or substance use that may interfere with the study including panic disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disease * Active cancer * Cancer survivors who have received chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or any other systemic treatment (e.g., hormonal therapy) * Women who are pregnant

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Retention rateUp to 6 weeksFeasibility will be achieved if 70% of all enrolled participants attend at least 5 full visits within 6 weeks. Descriptive statistics will be generated.
Adherence rateUp to 6 weeksFeasibility will be achieved if 70% of all enrolled participants complete all assessments of the program within 6 weeks. Descriptive statistics will be generated.

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORRichard T Lee

City of Hope Medical Center

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 4, 2026