Meditation to better manage cancer!

According to Santé Publique France, in 2018, 382 thousand new cases of cancer were diagnosed in France. Supportive care is an increasingly important place in the care of patients of all types of cancer. Among these therapies is mindfulness meditation offered by various cancer centers. explanations.

Cancer supportive care and mindful meditation

Confrontation cancerSurgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy are used to destroy the tumor and achieve remission. At the same time, over the past few years, Supportive care. Supportive care is now an integral part of the cancer care pathway, bringing together all the care and support needed for patients during and after cancer treatment. Supportive care is adapted to the condition of each patient and includes, for example:

• pain management;
• lifestyle advice
• psychological support;
• Support from a social worker.

Around the patient, this supportive care mobilizes a group of professionals whose goal is to improve the health and quality of life of cancer patients. This includes supportive care as well Mindfulness meditation. What are its benefits in treating cancer?

Multiple benefits for a cancer patient thanks to meditation

Mindfulness meditation is an approach that includes Focus on the present moment and the thoughts, emotions, and sensations you are feeling in the present moment, without passing judgment on their positive or negative aspects. In general, mindfulness meditation allows you to relax and better manage stress and complex situations. In cases of cancer, mindfulness meditation is suggested in order to better manage the care, emotions, and symptoms related to cancer and treatment.

In scientific studies conducted on breast cancer, mindfulness meditation sessions have been shown to help Reduction in anxiety and depressive disorders. The underlying mechanisms, both biological and neurological, should be the subject of additional research, but the observation of a positive effect is real. Other studies indicate a positive effect on:

• pain management;
• Cancer-related fatigue.
• better stress management;
• Decreased fear of cancer recurrence.
• Improve the quality of life.

Depending on the meditation positions and methods, the benefit is maintained between four weeks and three months after the sessions stop.

Meditate for a better quality of life and a better prognosis for cancer

In addition, mindfulness meditation can work directly Some side effects of cancer treatmentssuch as cognitive disorders resulting from chemotherapy, sleep disturbances, or residual functional impairments. All of these positive effects could have a positive impact on tolerability of cancer treatments, and thus contribute to improving the patient’s prognosis.

Mindfulness meditation is now offered in many cancer centers in France and can also be practiced outside of a hospital setting. It does not change the disease or the treatments, but it does help the patient manage them better by adjusting his perception of emotions and sensations. Experts recommend b Meditate as regularly as possible, with several 5- to 10-minute sessions per week. An approach to start as early as possible in the journey and continue indefinitely, even after cancer! Other approaches are also interesting, such as yoga, qi-gong or sophistication.

Estelle B. Doctor of Pharmacy

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