Intervention program boosts survival in breast cance...( COLUMBUS Ohio A new study provides ...),Health

COLUMBUS, Ohio A new study provides the best evidence to date that a psychological intervention program designed for breast cancer patients not only improves their health it actually increases their chance of survival.

Researchers at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center found that patients participating in an intervention program reduced their risk of dying of breast cancer by 56 percent after an average of 11 years.

Participants in the program, which taught strategies to reduce stress, improve mood and alter health behaviors, also reduced the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 45 percent.

"The results suggest that we can help breast cancer patients make positive steps that may help them live longer and make recurrence less likely," said Barbara Andersen, lead author of the study and a member of Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of psychology.

"We already knew a psychological intervention program could help breast cancer patients to handle their stress, function more effectively, and improve their health. Now we know it does even more."

The study will be published in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Cancer, and is currently available to subscribers online.

The study is part of the long-running Stress and Immunity Breast Cancer Project at Ohio State. Participants included 227 patients who were surgically treated for Stage II or Stage III breast cancer.

Half of the patients were enrolled in the intervention program, while the other half were simply assessed on a regular basis. All received their regular medical treatments as well.

Those in the intervention group met weekly in groups of 8 to 12 with a clinical psychologist. During these weekly sessions, which continued for four months, participants learned progressive muscle relaxation for stress reduction, problem solving for common difficulties (such as fatigue), how to find support from family a
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