Immune responses to guided imagery during breast cancer treatment.
Biol Res Nurs
; 9(3): 205-14, 2008 Jan.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18077773
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The use of relaxation and guided imagery to reduce stress and improve immune function has great potential benefits for patients with breast cancer.METHODS:
This pilot study used a pretest-posttest experimental design with 28 breast cancer patients, aged 25 to 75 years, with the diagnosis of stage 0, 1, or 2 breast cancer. The experimental group received a relaxation and guided imagery intervention and the control group received standard care. The effects of the intervention on immune function were measured by natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and IL-2-activated NK cell activity prior to surgery and 4 weeks postsurgery. NK cell activity was measured using a 15-hr incubation chromium release assay. Cytotoxicity of NK cells was measured against chromium-labeled K-562 target cells. IL-2 was used to enhance reactivity of NK cells against tumor cells. After incubation for 15 hr, cytotoxicity was measured through the release of radioactive chromium.RESULTS:
Significant differences between groups were found at 4 weeks postsurgery. T-tests showed increased NK cell cytotoxicity for the intervention group at 1001, 501, and 251 effector cell target cell ratios (ET) (p < .01 to p < .05) and increased activation for IL-2 at 1001, 501, 251, and 12.51 (ET) (p < .01 to p < .05) for the intervention group as compared to the control group.DISCUSSION:
These findings suggest that a relaxation intervention such as guided imagery could have an effect on NK cell cytotoxicity and NK cell cytotoxicity after activation with IL-2 in patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer.
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Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Neoplasias de la Mama
/
Imágenes en Psicoterapia
Tipo de estudio:
Qualitative_research
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Biol Res Nurs
Año:
2008
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos