The Healing Power of Meditation in Patients with Cancer and Chronic Pain

Various studies have shown that "Meditation", when used by cancer patients, it improves quality of life and immune system. 

As per the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, investigated the impact of a mindfulness-based stress reduction meditation program (MBSR) on the quality of life, mood, and immune functioning of a study was conducted on 59 early-stage cancer patients. The objective was to investigate the impact of MBSR  "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Meditation Program" on the quality of life, feeling of well-being and immune functioning of the Cancer patients. The group had 49 patients with breast cancer and 10 with prostate cancer. The study was an 8-week MBSR program of meditation to be practiced at home also.

As the practice by patients progressed, there were marked in the quality of life scores. There was improvement in the quality of sleep, the participants increased the number ant time of relaxation and meditation exercises and decreased on the caffeine they consumed. Changes in the immune system were consistent with a shift from a depressive and carcinogenic cytokine profile to a more normal profile. There was a three-fold increase in the production of IL-4 cytokine, which can inhibit cell growth and lead to cell death in breast cancer cell cultures. Therefore, MBSR program appears to improve psychosomatic status, feelings of well-being, quality of life and the immune functions.