Supporting Women With Breast Cancer to Prepare for Treatment (The Prepare Study)

Supporting Women With Breast Cancer to Prepare for Treatment (The Prepare Study)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if a brief mindfulness intervention before and after surgery would impact patient emotional wellbeing, quality of life, and biomarkers measured before and after surgery by finger prick collection and surveys.

The purpose of this project is to evaluate a brief, technology-enabled mindfulness intervention before and following breast cancer surgery to determine its impact on emotional wellbeing and biological stress response in breast cancer patients. The investigators will administer self-reported questionnaires of emotional wellbeing and quality of life and collect pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines (CRP and IL-10, respectively) using a minimally invasive finger prick approach. The findings from this study will help establish an evidence base on the efficacy of a brief, technology enabled mindfulness intervention on patient anxiety, wellbeing and biological response. No previous studies have examined the impact of a brief mindfulness training prior to and following surgery on patient wellbeing. The long-term goal is to determine whether brief, technology-enabled mindfulness support can become part of routine preparation for breast cancer surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Females >20 and < 85 years of age
2. History of contralateral breast cancer in the past is acceptable
3. Patients seeking second opinion for diagnosis are eligible
4. Clinical AJCC stage 0-III breast cancer
5. Patients who have an in breast tumor recurrence are eligible
6. English Speaking
7. Willing to fill out surveys required for the study
8. Gene mutation carriers are eligible
9. Neoadjuvant therapy patients are eligible

Exclusion Criteria:

1. AJCC Stage IV breast cancer
2. Unwilling to fill out surveys for the study
3. Patients with a distant recurrence
4. Patients unaware of their diagnosis