Effects of energy healing on prostate cancer

能量治疗对前列腺癌的影响

• 批准号: 6928757
• 负责人: JOAN E.B. FOX
• 金额: $ 18.63万
• 依托单位: CLEVELAND CLINIC LERNER COM-CWRU
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-09-01 至 2009-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6928757
• 关键词: alternative medicine; anxiety; behavioral /social science research tag; clinical research; combination therapy; cortisol; dehydroepiandrosterone; human therapy evaluation; neoplasm /cancer therapy; neoplastic process; outcomes research; patient oriented research; prostate neoplasms; prostate specific antigen; psychological aspect of cancer; psychometrics; psychoneuroimmunology; quality of life; radioimmunoassay; statistics /biometry

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): 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. Anxiety is of concern as it has been implicated in cancer progression. Current methods of anxiety reduction include medication and psychosocial interventions that require active mental engagement by the patient. A CAM modality used frequently by cancer patients is spirituality. One modality based on spirituality is energy-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 high anxiety. The present application represents collaboration between physicians, basic scientists, psychiatrists, biostatisticians, and energy healers. 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 monitored using and salivary cortisol and plasma DHEA assays in addition to validated psychometric instruments. The Specific Aims are: 1) to determine 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 and DHEA 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 management of patients with prostate cancer. They would also provide insights into whether energy healing might be beneficial in decreasing anxiety in cancer patients.

描述（由申请人提供）：我们研究的目的是确定CAM模式是否可以改善癌症患者的疾病进展或生活质量。在癌症患者或幸存者中，焦虑比任何其他心理症状都更常见。焦虑是令人担忧的，因为它与癌症进展有关。目前减少焦虑的方法包括药物和心理干预，需要患者积极的精神参与。癌症患者经常使用的CAM模式是灵性。一种基于灵性的方式是能量治疗。虽然客户经常声称在能量治疗后焦虑减少，但这并没有经过严格的测试。能量治疗对疾病状态的有益影响的研究一直没有定论，主要依赖于非生理结果的措施。我们的目的是设计一项研究，以确定能量愈合是否影响癌症人群的疾病进展或焦虑，使用结果的生理标志物。前列腺癌是一种存在肿瘤进展的血清标志物前列腺特异性抗原（PSA）的疾病。前列腺癌也与高度焦虑有关。本申请代表了医生，基础科学家，精神病学家，生物统计学家和能量治疗师之间的合作。我们提出了一项试点研究，其中新诊断的前列腺癌患者将提供能量愈合治疗4周期间6-8周期间的初步诊断和根治性前列腺切除术。PSA水平将用于评估疾病进展。除了经过验证的心理测量仪器外，还将使用唾液皮质醇和血浆DHEA测定来监测焦虑状态。具体目标是：1）确定能量治疗对癌症活动的影响，如通过血液中的PSA水平测量的，2）使用经验证的心理测量仪器确定能量治疗对焦虑状态的影响，3）确定能量治疗对生理焦虑的影响，如通过皮质醇和DHEA水平测量的。通过合并无治疗，假治疗和灵气治疗组，我们将确定是否观察到的任何效果也可以通过假治疗获得。我们预计，这些研究将提供深入了解能量愈合是否有希望作为前列腺癌患者标准管理的辅助手段。他们还将提供关于能量治疗是否有助于减少癌症患者焦虑的见解。