Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Author Spotlight: Integrating Tai Chi with Mindfulness Training to Achieve an Effective Mind-Body Exercise
Published on: July 14, 2023
A mindfulness-based intervention for breast cancer patients with cognitive impairment after chemotherapy: study
Katleen Van der Gucht1, Michelle Melis2, Soumaya Ahmadoun2
1Leuven Mindfulness Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. Katleen.vandergucht@kuleuven.be.
Background:
Mindfulness has been applied to improve cancer care by enhancing psychological well-being. However, little is known about its impact on cognitive impairment experienced by cancer patients after chemotherapy. Mindfulness may be relevant in tackling cognitive impairment by decreasing emotional distress and fatigue, by decreasing inflammation, and by strengthening functional brain connectivity. The aim of the present study protocol is to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of a mindfulness-based intervention to reduce cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy.
Methods/Design:
The present study is a three-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline, 1 to 3 weeks after the intervention and at 3 months' follow-up. One hundred and twenty breast cancer patients who ended treatment a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 5 years before, and who have cognitive complaints, will be enrolled. They will be randomized into one of the following three study arms: (1) a mindfulness-based intervention group (n = 40), (2) an active control condition based on physical training (n = 40), or (3) a treatment as usual (TAU) control group (n = 40). Both the mindfulness-based intervention and the active control condition consist of four group sessions (3 h for the mindfulness condition and 2 h for the physical training) spread over 8 weeks. The primary outcomes will be cognitive symptoms as measured by the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire and changes in functional brain connectivity in the attention network. Secondary outcomes will be (1) levels of emotional distress, fatigue, mindfulness, quality of life; (2) neurocognitive tests; (3) structural and functional brain changes using MR imaging and (4) measures of inflammation.
Discussion:
The study will examine the impact of a mindfulness-based intervention on cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients. If the findings of this study confirm the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based program to reduce cognitive impairment, it will be possible to improve quality of life for ex-cancer patients. We will inform health care providers about the potential use of a mindfulness-based intervention as a non-pharmaceutical, low-threshold mental health intervention to improve cognitive impairment after cancer.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03736460. Retrospectively registered on 8 November 2018.
More Related Videos
12:22Mindfulness in Motion MIM: An Onsite Mindfulness Based Intervention MBI for Chronically High Stress Work Environments to Increase Resiliency and Work Engagement
Published on: July 1, 2015
08:16Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory
Published on: May 11, 2020
