Table 3 Cancer patients
Reference | Participants | Study design | Interventions | Controls | Follow up | Outcomes | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlson et al. (2003) [32] | 59 Early stage BC 49 PC 10 | Open | MBSR (N = 59) 8 weeks | None | No | TNF, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, NK, NKT, B, T total, T helper, and T cytotoxic cells | Although there were no significant differences in the overall number of lymphocytes or cell subsets, T cell production of IL-4 increased and IFN-γ decreased, whereas NK cell production of IL-10 decreased. |
Carlson et al. (2007) [31] | 59 Early stage BC 49 PC 10 | Open | MBSR (N = 59) 8 weeks | None | 12 months | TNF, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, NK, NKT, B, T total, T helper, and T cytotoxic cells, salivary cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate | Immune patterns over the year indicated a continued reduction in Th1 (pro-inflammatory) cytokines. T-cell population of TNF, IFN-γ, and IL-4 decreased substantially over the course of the year between pre- and post-intervention, and across the follow-up assessments. |
Witek-Janusek et al. (2008) [38] | 96 Early stage BC 66 healthy 30 | NRCT | MBSR (N = 38) 8 weeks | Control (usual care) (N = 28) 8 weeks Healthy Control (N = 30) | 1 month | IL-2, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, T, NK, T helper, and T cytotoxic cells, NK cell activity, plasma cortisol | Although the non-MBSR group showed continued reduction in IFN- γ production with increased IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 production between pre- and 1-month post-intervention, the MBSR group re-established their cytokine production levels over time. |
Lengacher et al. (2012) [39] | 52 Advanced stage cancer 26 caregivers 26 | Open | MBSR (N = 52) 6 weeks | None | No | salivary IL-6 (2 times/day), salivary cortisol | There was a significant reduction in salivary IL-6 in all MBSR participants pre- to post-intervention (p = 0.002). |
Lengacher et al. (2013) [40] | 82 Early ~ advanced stage BC | RCT | MBSR (N = 40) 6 weeks | Control (usual care) (N = 42) 6 weeks | No | Th1: IFN-γ, Th2: IL-4, T, NK, and B cells | The MBSR group had T cells more readily activated by the mitogen PHA compared to the control group (p =0.002). The production of IFN-γ showed no significant changes between pre- and post-intervention; however, IL-4 production decreased compared to the control group. There was an increase in the Th1/Th2 ratio in the MBSR group (p = 0.03). |
Bower et al. (2015) [23] | 71 Early stage BC | RCT | MAPs (N = 39) 6 weeks | Wait-list Control (N = 32) 6 weeks | 3 months | IL-6, CRP, 19 pro-inflammatory gene transcripts, NF-κB, anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid receptor (GR), CREB family factors, Type I interferon response factors, TNF receptor type II | The MAPS intervention group showed a significant decline in pro-inflammatory gene expression from baseline to post-intervention (p = 0.009). There were no significant effects of intervention for IL-6, CRP, and TNF receptor type II. |