Imagery (self-hypnosis) as adjunct therapy in childhood cancer: clinical experience with 25 patients

Clinical experience with 25 pediatric cancer patients referred by oncologists for imagery exercises (self-hypnosis) at Minneapolis Children's Health Center suggests that this modality is valuable adjunct therapy for symptom relief, such as reduction of pain and nausea, especially among those patients who begin these exercises at the time of their initial diagnosis. Twenty-one of these patients agreed to use the exercises and 19 demonstrated substantial symptom relief associated with their practice. This experience suggests the need for more research regarding the optimal use of this modality in children with cancer, and for better understanding of how psychological factors contribute, if at all to the development and course of malignancies. A 5-year prospective study of imagery as adjunct therapy in childhood cancer is now in process.