A Mind-Body Intervention for Fear of Recurrence Among Cancer Survivors, IN FOCUS Study
This clinical trial tests the effect of a mind-body resiliency intervention adapted to target fear of cancer recurrence among cancer survivors. After cancer treatments end, cancer survivors experience a variety of challenges. Among the most prevalent and distressing of these challenges is fear of cancer recurrence (FOR). Patients are confronted with uncertainty about the recurrence or progression of their cancer, how to manage their disease, how to interpret changes in their bodies, and how to engage in their medical visits and tests. These uncertainties commonly manifest as FOR, defined as fear, worry, or concern about illness returning or progressing. Mind-body interventions, defined as techniques designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms, may help cancer survivors increase stress management skills, tolerance of uncertainty, and enhance positive thinking. Information gathered from this study may be used to determine whether or not a multimodal mind-body resiliency intervention adapted to target fear of recurrence for cancer survivors is effective in reducing FOR severity and improving both subjective and objective reported changes in FOR among cancer survivors.