An effective and promising way to quickly relieve cancer pain

A team of scientists has come up with an effective method that can quickly reduce the severity of cancer pain and relieve the anxiety associated with it.

The team said the method involves "mindful breathing for 20 minutes," which focuses a person's attention on their breath, which helps relieve the pain of cancer symptoms, according to the British Medical Journal.

Scientists explained that moderate to severe pain affects about 30-40% of cancer patients worldwide, as a result of tumor pressure or invasion of surrounding tissues, neurological mechanisms, and side effects of treatment.

Mindfulness-based interventions, among a range of complementary therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, massage, acupuncture, and exercise, are increasingly valuable and recognized, but research to date on the effectiveness of mindfulness in pain relief has focused on programs lasting several weeks or for only 5–10 minutes, or on people who do not have cancer.

In this regard, scientists sought to find out whether a single session of mindful breathing for 20 minutes might provide the same desired benefit for cancer patients.

The study involved 40 patients with different types of cancer, who had a pain score of 4 or more out of 10, indicating moderate to severe pain.

They were divided into two groups: one group (21 people) practiced a mindful breathing session guided by a clinician trained in mindfulness techniques (the session included a brief explanation of mindfulness concepts and practices, followed by 20 minutes of mindful breathing). The session consisted of 4 steps, each lasting 5 minutes: identifying the inhalation and exhalation, tracking the length of the entire breath, returning the mind to the body, and relaxing the body from the head down to the feet. The other group (19 people) received a 20-minute supportive listening session led by a clinician, where they were asked about their experiences with the disease.

Each patient's pain intensity and severity were measured before and after each intervention, using a validated numeric rating scale (0-10), while the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess their mood.

The results showed that the mindful breathing group experienced a greater reduction in pain intensity and discomfort than the other group. They also experienced a significantly greater reduction in HADS score.

The researchers acknowledge the relatively small study size and the fact that it was conducted at only one medical center, but cancer patients often face practical limitations, so brief mindfulness practices that can quickly reduce pain and complement traditional pharmacological approaches are worth exploring.

The 100% response rate and absence of adverse events confirm the feasibility and safety of 20-minute mindful breathing.

The study was published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.