This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The goal of our studies is to determine whether CAM modalities can improve disease progression or the quality of life or for cancer patients. Anxiety is reported more often than any other psychological symptom in patients with or surviving cancer. Cnxiety is of concern as it has been implicated in cancer progression. Current methods of anxiety reduction include medication and psychosocial interventions that requrie active mental engagement by the patient. A CAM modality used frequently by cancer patients is spirituality. One modality based on spirituality is entergy-healing. While clients often claim decreased anxiety following energy-healing, this has not been rigorously tested. Studies of the beneficial effects of energy-healing on disease states have been inconclusive and relied mainly on non-physiological outcome measures.
Our aim was to design a study to determine whether energy-healing affects disease progression or anxiety in a cancer population, using physiological markers of outcome. Prostate cancer is a disease in which there is a serum marker for tumor progression, prostate specific antigen (PSA). Prostate cancer is also associated with hihg anxiety. The present application represents collaboration between physicians, basic scientists, psychiatrists, biostaticians, and energy healters. We propose a pilot study in which newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients will be provided with energy-healing treatments for 4-weeks during the 6-8 week period between initial diagnosis and radical prostatectomy. PSA levels will be used to assess disease progression. Anxiety states will be moniotred using salivary cortisol and DHEA assays as well as serum atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels in addition to validated psychometric instruments.
The Specific Aims are: 1) to detrimine the effects of energy-healing on cancer activity as measured by PSA levels in the blood, 2) to determine the effects of energy-healing on anxiety states using validated psychometric instruments, 3) to determine the effects of energy-healing on physiologic anxiety as measured by cortisol, DHEA and ANP levels. By incorporating no-treatment, sham healing, and Reiki treatment groups, we will determine whether any effects observed could also be obtained by a sham healer. We anticipate that these studies will provide insights into whether energy-healing holds promise as an adjunct to standard
Showing the most recent 10 out of 136 publications
