Positive Health Online

Abstract

POLETTI and COLLEAGUES, 1 INSERM U1028, CRNL-DYCOG, Lyon, France.  stefano.poletti@phd.unipd.it ; 2 Unit of Medical Oncology, Carpi Civil Hospital, Italy.  g.razzini-ext@ausl.mo.it; 3 "Mente&Vita" Mindfulness Center, Italy.  roberto.ferrari1@gmail.com ; 4 Local Health Unit of Modena, MBSR Instructor, Italy.  m.ricchieri@ausl.mo.it 5 FCAS, FSA, C. Stat. Unipol Group, Bologna, Italy.  spedygiorgio@gmail.com ; 6 Unit of Medical Oncology, Carpi Civil Hospital, Italy.  a.pasqualini@ausl.mo.it ; 7 Unit of Early Palliative Care, Carpi Civil Hospital, Italy.  c.buzzega@ausl.mo.it ; 8 Unit of Medical Oncology, Carpi Civil Hospital, Italy.  f.artioli@ausl.mo.it ; 9 General Director Health Councillorship Emilia Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.  Kyriakoula.Petropulacos@regione.emilia-romagna.it  10 Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, AOU, UNIMORE, Italy.  mario.luppi@unimore.it ; 11 Unit of Early Palliative Care, Carpi Civil Hospital, Italy.  e.bandieri@ausl.mo.it set out to explore the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention for people with metastatic cancer integrated in Early Palliative Care (EPC).

Background

Methodology

Objectives: To explore the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention for people with metastatic cancer integrated in Early Palliative Care (EPC); Design: Mixed-method study; Settings/location: EPC Service integrated with Oncology Unit, Carpi General Hospital, Italy from January to October 2017. The MBSR intervention took place inside the hospital;  Subjects: Study participation was offered to 25 consecutive people referred to the EPC service. Inclusion criteria: people with metastatic cancer between 18 and 75 years old; informed consent; Exclusion criteria: Performance Status <60% according to Karnofsky scale; active psychiatric disorder. 20 patients were included in the study; Intervention: The adapted program consists of 8 meetings for 2.5 h once a week, a 4.5 h session between the 6th and 7th weeks and 0.5 h home practice daily. The following mindfulness practices were included during the training: formal sitting meditation, body scan, light yoga, walking meditation, and Aikido exercises. Participants were provided with materials for home practice. A qualified MBSR instructor conducted the program. Sessions were attended by a clinical psychologist and a physician trained in meditation, together with the palliative nurse as facilitators. Outcome measures: Feasibility and acceptability were assessed on 16 participants. In addition, pre-post measures of cancer pain and mood state were collected. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted on a subset of 8 participants at the end of the study and analysed using the Interpretative-Phenomenological approach.

Results

MBSR attendance to meetings and adherence to home practice were 75%. MBSR intervention helped participants to develop an accepting attitude in respect to metastatic cancer disease helping them to face anxiety and cancer pain. MBSR improves self-regulation of mood state engendering feelings of compassion MBSR program supports participants in questioning and reconnecting with their values and spiritual beliefs.

Conclusion

A Mindfulness intervention integrated into EPC setting is feasible, well accepted and could help metastatic cancer patients to control cancer pain together with an opportunity of emotional and spiritual relief.

References

Stefano Poletti  1 , Giorgia Razzini  2 , Roberto Ferrari  3 , Maria Pia Ricchieri  4 , Giorgio Alfredo Spedicato  5 , Antonella Pasqualini  6 , Cristina Buzzega  7 , Fabrizio Artioli  8 , Kyriakoula Petropulacos  9 , Mario Luppi  10 , Elena Bandieri  11. Mindfulness-Based stress reduction in early palliative care for people with metastatic cancer: A mixed-method study. Complement Ther Med. ;47:102218. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102218. Epub 2019 Oct 19.  Dec 2019.

Comment

The above Research demonstrated that a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention for people with metastatic cancer integrated in Early Palliative Care (EPC) is feasible, well accepted and could help metastatic cancer patients to control cancer pain together with an opportunity of emotional and spiritual relief.