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A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Patients

Natural Medicine and Prevention, Maharishi University of Management Research Institute, Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa, snidich{at}mum.edu

Jeremy Z. Fields

Center for Healthy Aging, Resurrection Health Care/St Joseph Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

Maxwell V. Rainforth

Natural Medicine and Prevention, Maharishi University of Management Research Institute, Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa

Rhoda Pomerantz

Department of Geriatric Medicine, Resurrection Health Care/St Joseph Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

David Cella

Institute for Health Services, Research and Policy Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

Jean Kristeller

r Department of Psychology, Indiana State University,Terre Haute, Indiana

John W. Salerno

Natural Medicine and Prevention, Maharishi University of Management Research Institute, Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa

Robert H. Schneider

Natural Medicine and Prevention, Maharishi University of Management Research Institute, Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of the Transcendental Meditation program plus standard care as compared with standard care alone on the quality of life (QOL) of older women (55 years) with stage II to IV breast cancer. One hundred and thirty women (mean age = 63.8) were randomly assigned to either experimental (n = 64) or control (n = 66) groups. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy— Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP), and Short-Form (SF)-36 mental health and vitality scales were administered every 6 months over an average 18-month intervention period. Significant improvements were found in the Transcendental Meditation group compared with controls in overall QOL, measured by the FACT-B total score (P = .037), emotional well-being (P = .046), and social well-being (P = .003) subscales, and SF-36 mental health ( P = .017). Results indicate that the Transcendental Meditation technique improves the QOL of older breast cancer patients. It is recommended that this stress reduction program, with its ease of implementation and home practice, be adopted in public health programs.

Key Words: Transcendental Meditation • breast cancer • survival • oncology

Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol. 8, No. 3, 228-234 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1534735409343000


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