The MATCH Study: Mindfulness And Tai Chi for Cancer Health

Launched by LINDA E. CARLSON · Jun 10, 2016

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Background While there is ample research documenting the problems people diagnosed with cancer face, including high levels of distress, anxiety, depression and symptoms such as fatigue, pain and sleep disturbance, there is also a limited but growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of a range of mind-body therapies (MBTs) in alleviating these and other symptoms. The investigators have chosen to focus on comparing MBCR and TCQ because both have level 1 evidence in cancer care, and both have shown potential to affect important biomarkers and clinical outcomes. Both interventions are s...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Men and women over the age of 18
• • 2. Diagnosed with any type of cancer (stage I-III) excluding head, neck, or brain
• • 3. Completed active treatment (i.e. surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy) at least 4 months previously (ongoing hormonal therapies, AIs, tamoxifen, herceptin are not exclusionary)
• • 4. Experiencing significant distress (4 or greater on the Distress Thermometer)
• • 5. Able to attend MBCR or TCQ classes at scheduled times
• • 6. Sufficient functional capacity to participate in intervention groups (as judged by PAR-Q questionnaire, study staff, participant and participant's physician)
• • 7. Ability to speak and write English sufficiently to complete questionnaires and participate in groups.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Metastatic patients and those with ongoing chemotherapy (because ongoing therapy may impair biomarker profiles, and metastatic patients may not be stable enough to participate in the interventions and follow-up assessments).
• • 2. Cognitive impairment that would interfere with completing questionnaires or the intervention.
• • 3. Suffering from current Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder or other psychiatric disorder that would interfere with the ability to participate.
• • 4. Currently engages in meditation or tai chi one or more times per week
• • 5. Previous participation in MBCR program.