mindful movement program in improving quality of life in older female breast cancer survivors

Conditions: Anxiety Disorder; Breast Cancer; Cancer Survivor; Cognitive/Functional Effects; Depression; Psychosocial Effects of Cancer and Its Treatment

Summary: rationale: mindful movement is a self-directed activity of mindfulness (intention, attention, and attitude) and physical movement. a mindful movement program may be effective in improving well-being in older women who are breast cancer survivors. purpose: this randomized clinical trial is studying how well a mindful movement program works in improving quality of life in older female breast cancer survivors.

objectives: * to test the effects of the 12-week mindful movement program on quality of life in older female breast cancer survivors. * to test the effects of this program on mindfulness outcomes in these participants. * to compare mindfulness qualities in the experimental group with the control group. * to determine the qualitative benefits of this program as described by these participants. outline: participants are randomized to 1 of 2 intervention arms. * arm i (mindful movement program \[mmp\]): participants undergo a 2-hour mmp session once weekly for 12 weeks. participants are encouraged to practice intentional-mindful movement at home 5 minutes daily during weeks 1-4, 10 minutes daily during weeks 5-8, and 15 minutes daily during weeks 9-12. mindful movement is a self-directed activity incorporating mindfulness concepts and physical movement. mindfulness consists of the three core elements: intention (reasons for participating in a mindfulness intervention), attention (observing experiences in the present moment), and attitude (nonjudgmental openness and acceptance of experiences). each mmp session includes verbal sharing with a partner and the group and movement individually and with a partner, while focusing on the elements of mindfulness. music is incorporated into some portion of each session. * arm ii (control): participants undergo no intervention. all participants complete questionnaires for sociodemographic and individual characteristics, quality of life (including psychological, social, spiritual, and physical well-being, anxiety and depression, fear of recurrence, body image, and upper body symptoms), movement, and mindfulness (including attention, self-compassion, and intention) at baseline and weeks 12 and 18. projected accrual: a total of 75 participants (45 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) will be accrued for this study.

Eligibility criteria:
disease characteristics: * breast cancer survivor * at least 12 months since completion of treatment (chemotherapy, biotherapy \[e.g., trastuzumab\], or radiotherapy) * no evidence of metastatic disease patient characteristics: * english speaking * not under acute psychological distress * not using an assistive device (cane, walker, or wheelchair) * able to participate in the mindful movement program by a medical release from the patient's physician * pregnancy allowed prior concurrent therapy: * see disease characteristics * concurrent selective estrogen-receptor modulator permitted * no other concurrent treatment

Keywords: anxiety disorder depression cognitive/functional effects psychosocial effects of cancer and its treatment cancer survivor breast cancer