Meditative Slow Breathing or Isha Kriya Meditation in Improving Cancer-Related Symptoms in Hospitalized Participants With Cancer

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
This trial studies how well meditative slow breathing or Isha Kriya meditation works in improving cancer-related symptoms in hospitalized participants with cancer. Meditative slow breathing or Isha Kriya meditation may help to decrease perceived stress and enhance well-being in hospitalized cancer participants.

Detailed Description
-----------------
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Test the feasibility of the meditation practice. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Explore the acceptability of meditation in cancer patients through modified Global Symptom Evaluation (GSE) and on day 7 +/- 1 day and day 28 +/- 3 days. II. Explore the effect of meditative practices in cancer patients through Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) on the day of enrolment and a weekly basis until the end of study at four weeks. OUTLINE: Participants are randomized to 1 of 3 groups. GROUP I (MSB): Participants are instructed on the meditative slow breathing (MSB) technique and then perform MSB over 15 minutes twice daily (BID) for 28 days. GROUP II (IK MEDITATION): Participants are instructed on the 3 steps of Isha Kriya (IK) meditation and then perform IK meditation over 15 minutes BID for 28 days. GROUP III (WAITLIST): Participants are placed on a waitlist and receive standard supportive care for 28 days. After 28 days, participants may crossover to Group II.

Official Title
-----------------
Feasibility Study of Meditative Practices in Hospitalized Cancer Patients

Conditions
-----------------
Malignant Neoplasm

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Other: Best Practice
* Procedure: Meditation Therapy
* Procedure: Meditation Therapy
* Other: Questionnaire Administration


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of malignancy Admitted to the hospital Able to follow instructions Eastern Cooperative Oncology Practice (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG]) score of 3 or below Fluency in English Exclusion Criteria: Patients with life expectancy less than 2 months per attending physician or advance practice provider's note or assessment of prognosis Patients with cognitive dysfunction Patients who are admitted for observation for < 48 hours will be excluded from the study, as one day would be difficult to provide the necessary information Patients who are delirious Patients who are unable to follow instructions due to their medical condition Patients admitted to the intensive care unit Patients with ESAS > 4/10 on dyspnea Patients requiring oxygen more than 2 liters Patients who are current meditation practitioners

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Group I (MSB)<br>Participants are instructed on the MSB technique and then perform MSB over 15 minutes BID for 28 days. | Procedure: Meditation Therapy<br>* Perform MSB<br>* Other names: Meditation;Other: Questionnaire Administration<br>* Ancillary studies<br>|
| Experimental: Group II (IK meditation)<br>Participants are instructed on the 3 steps of IK meditation and then perform IK meditation over 15 minutes BID for 28 days. | Procedure: Meditation Therapy<br>* Perform IK meditation<br>* Other names: Meditation;Other: Questionnaire Administration<br>* Ancillary studies<br>|
| Active Comparator: Group III (waitlist)<br>Participants are placed on a waitlist and receive standard supportive care for 28 days. After 28 days, participants may crossover to Group II. | Other: Best Practice<br>* Receive standard supportive care<br>* Other names: standard therapy;Other: Questionnaire Administration<br>* Ancillary studies<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feasibility of the Meditation Practice defined by Recruitment Rate |  | Day 7 | 
| Feasibility of the Meditation Practice defined by Adherence Rate |  | Day 7 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Acceptability of Meditation in Cancer Patients Assessed by Modified Global Symptom Evaluation (GSE) |  | Day 7 and Day 28 | 
| Effect of Meditative Practices in Cancer Patients Assessed by Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) | Scale is from 0 to 10 with 0 being no symptoms to 10 being worse symptoms. Proportions of participants who consider that the study makes their symptoms better estimated along with a 90% confidence interval for each of the intervention groups. The Linear mixed model used to examine the differential changes over time for ESAS scores among the three groups. | Enrollment and a weekly basis until the end of study at four weeks. |