Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme (MBSR) at The Haven

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme (MBSR)

MBSR is a stress reduction programme taught internationally to people with a wide range of health conditions. The programme was first developed by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre 30 years ago. Whilst a few, very small studies have been performed using MBSR with people with breast cancer, the study carried out at The Haven in London is the largest randomised controlled trial of its kind to be done in the world, evaluating the mood state, quality of life and well being in 240 women with breast cancer who have undertaken the MBSR programme.

This was the PhD study carried out by Dr Caroline Hoffman (Clinical Director and Research Co-ordinator of The Haven) in collaboration with the University of Southampton. MBSR is an 8-week programme to reduce stress with the cultivation of mindfulness as its core tool. Mindfulness can be described as bringing attention and awareness to present moment experience in a non-judgmental way. 229 participants completed questionnaires regarding quality of life, well-being and mood state. These showed significantly beneficial results for those participants who did the MBSR programme compared to a control group. Results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in March 2012.

Conclusion MSBR improved mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being more effectively than standard care in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer, and these results persisted at three months. To our knowledge, this study provided novel evidence that MBSR can help alleviate long-term emotional and physical adverse effects of medical treatments, including endocrine treatments. MBSR is recommended to support survivors of breast cancer.