Universal Informatics · Research reading room

Mindfulness meditation for younger breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial

Bower JE, Crosswell AD, Stanton AL, Crespi CM, Winston D, Arevalo J, Ma J, Cole SW, Ganz PA. · Cancer · 2015 · Randomized controlled trial; blinding not reported

Original publication · Original publication

Recorded summary

Meditation reduced perceived stress and proinflammatory gene expression after treatment. Depression improvement was not statistically significant. Most psychological and behavioural benefits were not maintained at three months.

Attributed extracts from the research record

“A brief, mindfulness‐based intervention demonstrated preliminary short‐term efficacy in reducing stress, behavioral symptoms, and proinflammatory signaling in younger breast cancer survivors”
“women in the mindfulness group who practiced more frequently did evidence lower levels of IL‐6 at the post‐treatment assessment”
“our trial indicates that the benefits of mindfulness may extend to genomic markers of inflammation, including reductions in proinflammatory gene expression and activity of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF‐ κ B”

Recorded limitations

A preliminary waitlist-controlled trial in a specific survivor population. Molecular changes do not establish a reduction in cancer recurrence or progression.

Evidence and provenance

Chapter Trust Factor uses a minimum of three distinct qualifying studies. Publication records retain their own evidence and assessment.

Study design and assessment
design
Randomized controlled trial; blinding not reported
assessment
basis
The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
sources

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

assessed At
2026-10-23
registered Masking Basis
false
category
peer-reviewed
peer Reviewed
true
trust Factor
score
2
scope
Paper
status
assessed
randomized Controlled Trial
true
blinding
not-confirmed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
jadad
status
unassessed
score
Not recorded
evidence
intervention
Mindful Awareness Practices
comparator
Waitlist
sample
71 younger breast-cancer survivors: 39 meditation, 32 control
measurement
Blood; inflammatory gene expression and circulating markers
timing
6 weeks; questionnaires at 3 months
trial Id
Not recorded
measured Genes
None recorded
pathways

Inflammatory signalling

evidence Type
RNA expression
source URLs

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

checked At
2026-10-23
review Scope
Publication abstract and selected full-text methods; Jadad assessment pending
Topics and recorded topic scores
  1. key
    language:iv
    title
    Mindfulness and related practices: IL-6, inflammation and mental health
    collection
    language
    trust Score
    2
  2. key
    language:mindfulness-rna
    title
    Mindfulness interventions and gene expression
    collection
    language
    trust Score
    2
Citation snapshot and identifiers
id
pmid-25537522
doi
10.1002/cncr.29194
pmid
25537522
citation Snapshot
count
351
source
Crossref
retrieved At
2026-10-23
url
https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1002/cncr.29194
citations By Collection
language
351
Complete approved library record
id
pmid-25537522
publication Key
Not recorded
aliases
None recorded
title
Mindfulness meditation for younger breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial
journal
Cancer
neurotransmitters
None recorded
year
2015
authors
Bower JE, Crosswell AD, Stanton AL, Crespi CM, Winston D, Arevalo J, Ma J, Cole SW, Ganz PA.
design
Randomized controlled trial; blinding not reported
kind
Journal article
identity Conflict
Not recorded
doi
10.1002/cncr.29194
pmid
25537522
urls

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

collections

language

categories

Gene expression

targets
None recorded
priority
0
quotes

“A brief, mindfulness‐based intervention demonstrated preliminary short‐term efficacy in reducing stress, behavioral symptoms, and proinflammatory signaling in younger breast cancer survivors” · “women in the mindfulness group who practiced more frequently did evidence lower levels of IL‐6 at the post‐treatment assessment” · “our trial indicates that the benefits of mindfulness may extend to genomic markers of inflammation, including reductions in proinflammatory gene expression and activity of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF‐ κ B”

summary
Meditation reduced perceived stress and proinflammatory gene expression after treatment. Depression improvement was not statistically significant. Most psychological and behavioural benefits were not maintained at three months.
limitation
A preliminary waitlist-controlled trial in a specific survivor population. Molecular changes do not establish a reduction in cancer recurrence or progression.
citation Count
351
citation Snapshot
count
351
source
Crossref
retrieved At
2026-10-23
url
https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1002/cncr.29194
study Design Assessment
basis
The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
sources

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

assessed At
2026-10-23
registered Masking Basis
false
category
peer-reviewed
peer Reviewed
true
paper Trust Assessment
score
2
scope
Paper
status
assessed
randomized Controlled Trial
true
blinding
not-confirmed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
citations By Collection
language
351
topics
  1. key
    language:iv
    title
    Mindfulness and related practices: IL-6, inflammation and mental health
    collection
    language
    trust Score
    2
  2. key
    language:mindfulness-rna
    title
    Mindfulness interventions and gene expression
    collection
    language
    trust Score
    2
journal Key
cancer
journal Label
Cancer
chapter Entries
  1. id
    language-iv-pmid-25537522
    record Id
    pmid-25537522
    title
    Mindfulness meditation for younger breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial
    journal
    Cancer
    year
    2015
    authors
    Bower JE, Crosswell AD, Stanton AL, Crespi CM, Winston D, Arevalo J, Ma J, Cole SW, Ganz PA.
    design
    randomised controlled trial
    urls

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    quotes
      1. text
        “A brief, mindfulness‐based intervention demonstrated preliminary short‐term efficacy in reducing stress, behavioral symptoms, and proinflammatory signaling in younger breast cancer survivors”
        emphasis
        false
      1. text
        “women in the mindfulness group who practiced more frequently did evidence lower levels of IL‐6 at the post‐treatment assessment”
        emphasis
        false
      1. text
        “our trial indicates that the benefits of mindfulness may extend to genomic markers of inflammation, including reductions in proinflammatory gene expression and activity of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF‐ κ B”
        emphasis
        false
    citation Count
    194
    source Pages

    20

    targets
    None recorded
    categories

    Gene expression · Genetics & genomics · Molecular biomarkers · Clinical & self-report

    doi
    10.1002/cncr.29194
    pmid
    25537522
    paper Trust Assessment
    score
    2
    scope
    Paper
    status
    assessed
    randomized Controlled Trial
    true
    blinding
    not-confirmed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    basis
    The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
    sources

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    review Scope
    Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
    assessed At
    2026-10-27
    study Design Assessment
    basis
    The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
    sources

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    assessed At
    2026-10-23
    registered Masking Basis
    false
    category
    peer-reviewed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    collection
    language
    chapter Number
    1
    topic Id
    iv
    topic Title
    Mindfulness and related practices: IL-6, inflammation and mental health
    trust Score
    2
    evidence
    intervention
    Mindful Awareness Practices
    comparator
    Waitlist
    sample
    71 younger breast-cancer survivors: 39 meditation, 32 control
    measurement
    Blood; inflammatory gene expression and circulating markers
    timing
    6 weeks; questionnaires at 3 months
    trial Id
    Not recorded
    measured Genes
    None recorded
    pathways

    Inflammatory signalling

    evidence Type
    RNA expression
    source URLs

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    checked At
    2026-10-23
    review Scope
    Publication abstract and selected full-text methods; Jadad assessment pending
  2. id
    language-mindfulness-rna-pmid-25537522
    record Id
    pmid-25537522
    title
    Mindfulness meditation for younger breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial
    journal
    Cancer
    year
    2015
    authors
    Bower JE, Crosswell AD, Stanton AL, Crespi CM, Winston D, Arevalo J, Ma J, Cole SW, Ganz PA.
    design
    Randomized controlled trial; blinding not reported
    urls

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    quotes
    None recorded
    summary
    Meditation reduced perceived stress and proinflammatory gene expression after treatment. Depression improvement was not statistically significant. Most psychological and behavioural benefits were not maintained at three months.
    limitation
    A preliminary waitlist-controlled trial in a specific survivor population. Molecular changes do not establish a reduction in cancer recurrence or progression.
    citation Count
    351
    citation Snapshot
    count
    351
    source
    Crossref
    retrieved At
    2026-10-23
    url
    https://api.crossref.org/works/10.1002/cncr.29194
    study Design Assessment
    basis
    The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
    sources

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    assessed At
    2026-10-23
    registered Masking Basis
    false
    category
    peer-reviewed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    source Pages
    None recorded
    targets
    None recorded
    categories

    Gene expression

    doi
    10.1002/cncr.29194
    pmid
    25537522
    evidence
    intervention
    Mindful Awareness Practices
    comparator
    Waitlist
    sample
    71 younger breast-cancer survivors: 39 meditation, 32 control
    measurement
    Blood; inflammatory gene expression and circulating markers
    timing
    6 weeks; questionnaires at 3 months
    trial Id
    Not recorded
    measured Genes
    None recorded
    pathways

    Inflammatory signalling

    evidence Type
    RNA expression
    source URLs

    https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    checked At
    2026-10-23
    review Scope
    Publication abstract and selected full-text methods; Jadad assessment pending
    paper Trust Assessment
    score
    2
    scope
    Paper
    status
    assessed
    randomized Controlled Trial
    true
    blinding
    not-confirmed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    basis
    The published methods describe randomization to mindfulness or waitlist but do not report masked outcome assessment.
    sources

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

    review Scope
    Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
    assessed At
    2026-10-27
    collection
    language
    chapter Number
    4
    topic Id
    mindfulness-rna
    topic Title
    Mindfulness interventions and gene expression
    trust Score
    2
evidence
intervention
Mindful Awareness Practices
comparator
Waitlist
sample
71 younger breast-cancer survivors: 39 meditation, 32 control
measurement
Blood; inflammatory gene expression and circulating markers
timing
6 weeks; questionnaires at 3 months
trial Id
Not recorded
measured Genes
None recorded
pathways

Inflammatory signalling

evidence Type
RNA expression
source URLs

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4393338/ · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25537522/ · https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29194

checked At
2026-10-23
review Scope
Publication abstract and selected full-text methods; Jadad assessment pending
jadad
status
unassessed
score
Not recorded
condition Evidence
None recorded
conditions
None recorded
topic Trust Scores

2

full Text
status
reuse-review
retrieval Available
false
url
https://pmc-oa-opendata.s3.amazonaws.com/PMC4393338.1/PMC4393338.1.xml?md5=89fbeb9397c47872bea5335d9e82b462
pmcid
PMC4393338
rights
license
TDM
use
Private text mining
public Fulltext Redistribution
false
provider Upload
false
model Training
false
basis
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/tools/pmcaws/
article Rights

This file is available for text mining. It may also be used consistent with the principles of fair use under the copyright law.

sha256
8c18b64f9196c79b0c1b1bcd1bfdfc855f60b115f613a71c496a95360fcd43ef
checked At
2026-10-24

Open this publication in the interactive library