Intervention Program Boosts Survival in Breast Cancer Patients

[Guest guest]

> INTERVENTION PROGRAM BOOSTS SURVIVAL IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

> http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/cancrsurv.htm

>

> COLUMBUS, Ohio - A new study provides the best evidence to date that a

> psychological intervention program designed for breast cancer patients not

only

> improves their health - it actually increases their chance of survival.

>

> Researchers at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center found

> that patients participating in an intervention program reduced their risk of

> dying of breast cancer by 56 percent after an average of 11 years.

>

> Participants in the program, which taught strategies to reduce stress,

> improve mood and alter health behaviors, also reduced the risk of breast

cancer

> recurrence by 45 percent.

>

> " The results suggest that we can help breast cancer patients make positive

> steps that may help them live longer and make recurrence less likely, " said

> Barbara Andersen, lead author of the study and a member of Ohio State's

> Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of psychology.

>

> " We already knew a psychological intervention program could help breast

> cancer patients to handle their stress, function more effectively, and improve

> their health. Now we know it does even more. "

>

> The study will be published in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Cancer, and

> is currently available to subscribers online.

>

> The study is part of the long-running Stress and Immunity Breast Cancer

> Project at Ohio State. Participants included 227 patients who were surgically

> treated for Stage II or Stage III breast cancer.

>

> Half of the patients were enrolled in the intervention program, while the

> other half were simply assessed on a regular basis. All received their

regular

> medical treatments as well.

>

> Those in the intervention group met weekly in groups of 8 to 12 with a

> clinical psychologist. During these weekly sessions, which continued for four

> months, participants learned progressive muscle relaxation for stress

reduction,

> problem solving for common difficulties (such as fatigue), how to find

> support from family and friends, exercise and diet tips, and how to deal with

> treatment side effects and keep up with medical treatment and follow-up.

>

> " Many of the strategies patients learned in the intervention program, such

> as stress reduction, may have protected them from heart disease and other

> causes of death, " Andersen said.

> After four months of weekly sessions, participants met monthly for eight

> months.

>

> Researchers have followed up regularly with all those who took part in the

> study. By October 2007, patients had been followed from 7 to 13 years.

>

> In addition to improving survival and reducing recurrence, the intervention

> program had other positive effects, said Andersen.

>

> Among patients who died of breast cancer, those who participated in the

> intervention program lived longer - an average of 6.1 years for program

> participants versus 4.8 years for those who were simply assessed.

>

> Intervention participants were also less likely to die from causes other

> than breast cancer, such as heart disease or other cancers. For those who

died

> of any cause, participants in the intervention lived an average of 6 years

> compared to 5 years for those who didn't.

>

> " Many of the strategies patients learned in the intervention program, such

> as stress reduction, may have protected them from heart disease and other

> causes of death, " said Andersen, a member of Ohio State's Institute for

> Behavioral Medicine Research.

>

> Researchers did a follow-up analysis in which they excluded people who were

> put in the intervention group, but who attended fewer that 20 percent of the

> sessions (16 of the 114 participants fit this requirement). When the

> infrequent attendees were excluded, the remainder had a 68-percent reduced

risk of

> breast cancer death, compared to the 56-percent risk reduction for the whole

> participant group.

>

> Andersen said this study was unique in several ways. In the 1980s and 90s,

> two separate studies found higher survival rates for cancer patients who

> participated in intervention programs; one study involved breast cancer

patients

> whose disease had already recurred, and the other study included newly

> diagnosed melanoma patients. But these studies were not designed to look at

how

> the interventions affected survival rates. When other researchers tried to

> replicate these results, they found no effect for intervention programs.

>

> This new study, though, was designed to look specifically at recurrence and

> survival rates, Andersen said. In addition, the intervention program is

> different and so are the participants in the study.

>

> Participants in the Ohio State study had Stage II and III breast cancer,

> which means their chance of survival were better than those with Stage IV

cancer

> (which means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body), but not as

> good as those diagnosed with Stage I.

>

> " We wanted those patients in the middle, where we felt we had the most

> chance of influencing their future course with the disease, " she said.

>

> How did the intervention program help cancer patients?

>

> " We believe the significant psychological improvements and behavior changes

> may have been critical, " according to Andersen.

>

> For example, the researchers found that patients in the intervention group

> who had the greatest reductions in distress and physical symptoms were those

> who practiced progressive muscle relaxation most frequently. They also

> understood and remembered that continued stress could hurt their health and

now

> knew several ways to reduce stress.

>

> " We found a strong relationship between patients' use of the intervention

> strategies we taught them and better health, " she said.

>

> Previous research with the same women in this study showed that women in the

> intervention showed signs of improved immune function compared to those who

> did not participate. That is most likely related to the lower levels of

> distress they felt, Andersen said.

>

> Overall, the results show a promising new way to help treat cancer patients,

> she said.

>

> " If psychological interventions to reduce stress are delivered early, they

> can improve mental health, health, and possibly even their odds of survival. "

>

> Co-authors on the study were Farrar, professor of surgery;

> Carson III, professor of surgery and associate director for clinical research

> at the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center; Hae-Chung Yang, research associate in

> psychology; Deanna Golden-Kreutz, clinical research manager in medicine;

> Thornton, post-doctoral fellow in psychology; Emery, professor of

> psychology; Donn Young, a biostatistician and research scientist in the OSU

> Comprehensive Cancer Center.

>

> The study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the

> National Cancer Institute, with additional help from American Cancer Society;

> Longaberger Company-American Cancer Society Grant for Breast Cancer Research;

> U.S. Army Medical Research Institute; the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center;

> and the Walther Cancer Institute.

>

>

> UPCOMING PROGRAMS

>

> LIVING WITH ADVANCED BREAST CANCER: An Evening With Musa Mayer

> TUESDAY, December 2 7pm

> Co-sponsored with Benedictine Hospital Oncology Support

>

> Musa is a renowned author, patient advocate and 18 year breast cancer

> survivor. Her focus is on helping those living with advanced breast cancer

make

> good treatment decisions based on the latest clinical research. Register:

> 845-339-3071 KINGSTON: Benedictine Hospital ASB Ground floor conference room

>

>

> BREAST CANCER OPTIONS ONGOING SERVICES

> (see website for complete list: www.breastcanceroptions.org )

>

> ¦ PEER LED SUPPORT GROUPS: 12 locations in 6 counties.

>

> >> DUTCHESS COUNTY

>> Rhinebeck: Northern Dutchess Hospital, Women's View- 3rd Tuesday,

>> 11AM-12:30pm

>> Hopewell Junction East Fishkill: East Fishkill Library- 1st. Wed., 1-2:30

>> Beacon: Wingate at Beacon- 3rd Wednesday, 6:30-8PM

>> ORANGE COUNTY: Middletown: Community Health Center- 1st Wednesday,

>> 6-7:30pm (beginning January 2009)

>>

>>

>> SULLIVAN COUNTY

>> Liberty: Curves of Liberty- 4th Monday, 6-:30-8 pm

>> : Catskill Regional Medical Center Adult Day Care Center-2nd Mon.,

>> 6-7:30pm

>>

>> ULSTER COUNTY

>> New Paltz: Elting Memorial Library- 1st Thursday, 1:00PM -2:30pm

>> Ellenville: Ellenville Public Library Community Room- 1st Tuesday,

>> 6:30-8:00pm

>>

>> COLUMBIA COUNTY

>> Chatham: St. Church- 1st Wednesday, 6-7;30 pm

>> Hudson: Hudson Opera House - 3rd Thursday, 6-7:30pm

>>

>> GREENE COUNTY

>> Cairo: Cairo Town Hall Court Room- 3rd Monday, 6-7:30 pm

>> Palenville: Palenville Branch Library -1st Thursday, 6:00-7:30pm

>>

>>

> ¦ COMPANION/ADVOCATES: Trained survivors will accompany newly diagnosed

> patients on initial medical visits.

> ¦ CAMP LIGHTHEART: A free sleep-away camp for the children of breast cancer

> patients and survivors.

> ¦ TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL CONSULTATIONS: A reliable resource for confidential

> answers to questions and for referrals for additional information or services.

> ¦ ANNUAL COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE CONFERENCE: Evidence-based CAM information

> featuring experts in the field of Integrative Medicine. SAVE THE DATE:

> Sunday, April 19, SUNY New Paltz.

> ¦ BREAST CANCER RESOURCE GUIDE: Online and/or pocket sized guide (mailed by

> request) with National and Local resources for medical, financial, legal and

> other help, including decision aids.

> ¦ PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING: Call 845-339-HOPE if you are interested in

> speaking with a breast cancer survivor. We can provide resources and support

for

> caregivers, families and spouses of women with breast cancer

> ¦ REFERRALS FOR FINANCIAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS:Call for our pocket resource

> guide and resource list if you are having insurance problems or cannot work

> because of cancer treatments.

> ¦ HEATHY LIFESTYLES PROGRAMS: Programs and workshops are listed on our

> website Events Calendar and look at how we can improve our health, deal with

> treatment side effects, cope with financial/legal issues and reduce risk of

> recurrance.

>

>

>