Cancer patients may benefit from mindfulness-based therapy

Mindfulness-based therapy may help ease anxiety and depression in some patients with cancer, a small research review suggests. As medical advances have helped transform cancer from a death sentence to a chronic disease for many patients, more attention is being paid to the physical and mental health problems that can linger even after tumors subside. Depression and anxiety, common in terminal cancer patients and people with persistent pain, can also affect patients who have a better prognosis but fear treatment may fail. While approaches to mindfulness-based therapy vary, this type of treatment typically involves a combination of counseling as well as education in relaxation and stress-relief techniques such as yoga or medication.