Clinical Trial: Menopause and Meditation for Breast Cancer Survivors

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Menopause and Meditation for Breast Cancer Survivors

Brief Summary: One of the consequences of breast cancer treatment for younger women is the abrupt onset of menopause and its related symptoms. Menopausal symptoms disrupt usual activities, alter sleep patterns and decrease quality of life. The purpose of this randomized feasibility pilot study is to examine mindfulness meditation for menopausal symptom management for women who are breast cancer survivors and for women with naturally occurring menopause. The study is designed to: 1. establish the feasibility of a mindfulness meditation program for women who experience menopausal symptoms (e.g. hot flushes). 2. explore the treatment benefit of a mindfulness meditation program for menopausal symptom relief using changes in frequency and severity of hot flushes; frequency of sleep disruption, various aspects of quality of life and physiologic stress response (cortisol) as outcome measures. 3. evaluate whether the treatment benefits of mindfulness meditation differ in menopausal women with naturally occurring menopause versus women with menopause secondary to chemotherapy for breast cancer. Participants randomized to the attention control group will be offered meditation training after completion of the intervention and follow up phases. Participants will attend 8 meditation sessions or 8 attention control sessions. Study variables are Menopausal Hot Flushes (self report & skin conductance monitoring), Sleep Disruption (Pgh Sleep Quality Index), Physiologic Stress Response (cortisol), Quality of Life (Menopausal Quality of Life); and Protocol Design (recruitment & retention rates, exit interviews). A convenience sample of 60 women who experience menopausal symptoms will be recruited.

Detailed Summary: One of the consequences of breast cancer treatment for younger women is the abrupt onset of menopause and its related symptoms. Menopausal symptoms disrupt usual activities, alter sleep patterns and decrease quality of life. In light of the recent findings from the Women's Health Initiative (re:use of exogenous estrogen), the need to investigate non-hormonal approaches (meditation) for short-term menopausal symptom discomfort is high. The purpose of this randomized feasibility pilot study is to examine mindfulness meditation for menopausal symptom management for women who are breast cancer survivors and for women with naturally occurring menopause. The study is designed to: 1. establish the feasibility of a mindfulness meditation program for women who experience menopausal symptoms (e.g. hot flushes). 2. explore the treatment benefit of a mindfulness meditation program for menopausal symptom relief using changes in frequency and severity of hot flushes; frequency of sleep disruption, various aspects of quality of life and physiologic stress response (cortisol) as outcome measures. 3. evaluate whether the treatment benefits of mindfulness meditation differ in menopausal women with naturally occurring menopause versus women with menopause secondary to chemotherapy for breast cancer. A 2x2 factorial repeated design will be used. The four randomized groups will consist of 1) naturally occurring menopause meditation; 2) naturally occurring menopause attention control; 3) breast cancer survivors meditation; 4) breast cancer survivors attention. Participants randomized to the attention control group will be offered meditation training after completion of the intervention and follow up phases. Participants will attend 8 meditation sessions or 8 attention control sessions. Study variables are Menopausal Hot Flushes (self report & skin conductance monitoring), Sleep Disruption (Pgh Sleep Quality Index), Physiologic Stress Response (cortisol), Quality of Life (Menopausal Q
Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh

Current Primary Outcome: hot flushes [ Time Frame: 21 weeks ]

Original Primary Outcome:

  • hot flushes
  • sleep disruption
  • quality of life
  • stress


Current Secondary Outcome: Sleep [ Time Frame: 21 weeks ]

Original Secondary Outcome: concurrent validity of three hot flush measures

Information By: University of Pittsburgh

Dates:
Date Received: September 7, 2005
Date Started: February 2005
Date Completion:
Last Updated: December 2, 2014
Last Verified: December 2014