Comparing the Impact of Four Types of Meditation Practices for Relaxation in Cancer Survivors

July 9, 2025 updated by: City of Hope Medical Center

A Pilot Study Exploring Four Types of Meditation Practices for Relaxation Among Cancer Survivors

This clinical trial compares the impact of four types of meditation practices, breathing only, focused attention only, mindfulness only, and breathing, focused attention and mindfulness combined, for relaxation in cancer survivors. Studies show that many patients with cancer experience stress and anxiety. Meditation therapy uses a variety of techniques, such as breathing, sound, or movement, that may help to decrease distress and anxiety and enhance the health and quality of life of patients with cancer. The trial is being done to find out how meditation can help cancer survivors feel relaxed and attain a peaceful state of mind.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Assess the feasibility to attend and complete the meditation program as scheduled (combined arms) within six weeks.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. Assess the ability of breathing, mindfulness, focused attention, and a combination of all three meditation techniques to enhance relaxation in cancer survivors.

II. Determine which meditation technique improves the outcome measures the most.

III. Explore which meditation method is preferred by the subjects.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 arms.

ARM I: Patients learn breathing only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.

ARM II: Patients learn focused attention only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.

ARM III: Patients learn mindfulness only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.

ARM IV: Patients learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

44

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Duarte, California, United States, 91010
        • Recruiting
        • City of Hope Medical Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Richard T. Lee
      • Irvine, California, United States, 92618
        • Recruiting
        • City of Hope at Irvine Lennar
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Richard T. Lee, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Documented written informed consent of the participant
  • Age: ≥ 18 years
  • Ability to understand and fluently speak English or Spanish
  • No previous training in mind-body relaxation techniques including meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong, guided imagery, mindfulness-based stress reduction, hypnosis, or cognitive behavior therapy, that exceeds 3 hours. Additionally, no regular practice of mind-body relaxation techniques, or formal experience with mind-body relaxation techniques within the past 12 months
  • Visual Analog Scale (VAS) anxiety score of > 3 from a range from 0 to 10. A "0" means the lowest anxiety score and a "10" means the highest anxiety score
  • Long-term cancer survivors who received surgery to treat their cancer ( > 6 months since last treatment) with no history of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other systemic therapy (e.g., hormonal therapy) and/or have completely recovered from surgery OR patients identified as having pre-cancerous lesions that have been surgically treated (e.g., colon polyp that has been removed)

  • Willingness to:

    • Provide salivary alpha-amylase sample
    • Complete stress tests and study questionnaires
    • Be monitored with a Bispectral Index (BIS) device

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to complete study required time and procedures as outlined in the study procedures section of the protocol
  • Must not have had previous serious illnesses that affect neurological functioning such as strokes, heart attacks, Parkinson disease, etc
  • Ongoing active psychiatric condition, depressive/bi-polar related disorders, anxiety, psychosis disorders, or substance use that may interfere with the study including panic disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disease
  • Active cancer
  • Cancer survivors who have received chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or any other systemic treatment (e.g., hormonal therapy)
  • Women who are pregnant

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm I (breathing only meditation)
Patients learn breathing only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Ancillary studies
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo saliva sample collection
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
  • Specimen Collection
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn focused attention only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn mindfulness only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Experimental: Arm I (focused attention only meditation)
Patients learn focused attention only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Ancillary studies
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo saliva sample collection
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
  • Specimen Collection
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn focused attention only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn mindfulness only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Experimental: Arm III (mindfulness only meditation)
Patients learn mindfulness only meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Ancillary studies
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo saliva sample collection
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
  • Specimen Collection
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn focused attention only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn mindfulness only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Experimental: Arm IV (combined meditation)
Patients learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation with an instructor over 60 minutes for 3 sessions within 6 weeks. Patients also practice meditation at home and undergo saliva sample collection on study.
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Ancillary studies
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo saliva sample collection
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
  • Specimen Collection
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn focused attention only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn mindfulness only meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation
Procedure: Meditation Therapy
Learn breathing, focused attention, and mindfulness combined meditation
Other Names:
  • Meditation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Retention rate
Time Frame: Up to 6 weeks
Feasibility will be achieved if 70% of all enrolled participants attend at least 5 full visits within 6 weeks. Descriptive statistics will be generated.
Up to 6 weeks
Adherence rate
Time Frame: Up to 6 weeks
Feasibility will be achieved if 70% of all enrolled participants complete all assessments of the program within 6 weeks. Descriptive statistics will be generated.
Up to 6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

City of Hope Medical Center

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Richard T Lee, City of Hope Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 17, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 17, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 17, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 9, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 9, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

July 15, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 11, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 9, 2025

Last Verified

July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 22607 (Other Identifier: City of Hope Medical Center)
  • P30CA033572 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • NCI-2024-04827 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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