Summary of mindfulness and guided imagery applications in cancer.
Domain
Details
Primary benefits
• Reduced anxiety, depression, and emotional distress• Improved sleep and mood• Decreased caregiver burden and burnout• Enhanced coping and emotional resilience
Mechanisms of action
• Regulation of the HPA axis and cortisol levels• Activation of prefrontal and insular brain regions (emotion regulation)• Parasympathetic nervous system activation• Reduced inflammatory cytokine activity
Delivery formats
• Mobile apps (e.g., Headspace, Insight Timer)• Audio recordings (e.g., for guided imagery)• Group classes (MBSR)• Short daily practices (5–15 min)
Settings for use
• Hospitals and outpatient clinics• Home care and hospice settings• Dyadic patient-caregiver sessions
Practical advantages
• Low cost, highly scalable• Minimal training required for basic use• Adaptable to physical limitations and disease stage
Safety considerations
• Generally safe and well tolerated• Caution in trauma-exposed individuals; consider trauma-informed mindfulness approaches• Emotional responses should be monitored when used in early grief or advanced disease
Mindfulness and guided imagery are particularly well-suited for integration into holistic care plans and patient empowerment strategies across various stages of cancer and settings. HPA: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal; MBSR: mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Declarations
Author contributions
SDG: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing, Validation, Supervision. The author has read and approved the submitted version.
Conflicts of interest
The author declares that there are no conflicts of interest.
Open Exploration maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims in published institutional affiliations and maps. All opinions expressed in this article are the personal views of the author(s) and do not represent the stance of the editorial team or the publisher.
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