Richmond Times-Dispatch
November 18, 2008
Psychological counseling, muscle relaxation and other strategies for reducing stress in breast-cancer patients can cut their risk of death from the disease by more than one-half, according to a study published online yesterday in the journal Cancer. The study also found that psychological interventions reduced the risk that the tumors would come back by 45 percent.
The researchers, led by psychology professor Barbara Andersen of Ohio State University, focused on stress reduction as a primary reason why patients appeared to benefit from the group counseling sessions.
But other scientists said there still wasn't enough evidence to support that idea.
The notion that psychological treatment can prolong the lives of cancer patients "has been controversial for many years," said Michael Stefanek of the American Cancer Society's Behavioral Research Center, who wasn't involved in the study.
Two recent studies of women with early-stage breast cancer found no survival advantage. He cautioned patients against expecting counseling to prolong their lives.
In the latest study, researchers recruited 227 women who had lumpectomies or modified radical mastectomies. The counseling sessions were aimed at helping patients "reduce distress and improve quality of life," the study said.
The psychologists taught patients a progressive muscle- relaxation technique to reduce physical stress. They discussed strategies for combating the fatigue brought on by chemotherapy; helped them be more assertive with doctors and nurses so that they could act on their concerns instead of stewing over them; and encouraged them to devote more energy to fun activities, said Andersen, who led the study.
Patients also were counseled about the importance of daily exercise, good diet and quitting smoking.
During the course of the study, 19 of the 114 patients who received counseling died of breast cancer, compared with 25 of the 113 patients who didn't. The psychological intervention reduced the risk of death from breast cancer by 56 percent.
Experts said the improvements could have been the results of the lifestyle changes patients were encouraged to adopt.
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