Purpose
This was an open label trial to determine feasibility and acceptability of 2 complementary and integrative interventions (self-hypnosis [HYP] and mindfulness meditation [MM]) for pain in veterans undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) at VA Puget Sound.
Background
HNC is associated with pain prior to and during treatment. HYP and MM have shown promise for procedural, acute, and chronic pain and may be a helpful addition to cancer treatment.
Methods
All veterans initiating treatment during the study window (2018-2020) were offered study treatment in addition to usual care. After providing informed consent and hearing a brief description of the interventions, participants selected either the HYP or MM intervention or a control condition (ie, complete assessments but no intervention). Participants met with a study clinician who introduced the intervention and provided audio recordings and a workbook and instructed them to listen to the recordings as often as they deemed helpful. Participants completed survey assessments at baseline, week 4, and at study completion (8 weeks). Measures included patient-reported satisfaction and perceived treatment helpfulness, frequency of practice, and likeliness of using skills going forward.
Data Analysis
Descriptive statistics were computed for all measures collected. No statistical tests were conducted due to small sample size.
Results
Of the 15 veterans who enrolled, 7 selected HYP, 7 selected MM, none selected the control condition, and 1 withdrew prior to treatment selection. Of the 14 completers, 79% reported that their chosen treatment was helpful and that they practiced at least once a week; 71% reported that they are likely to use these skills going forward. No adverse events were reported.
Conclusions/Implications
Self-guided HYP and MM interventions can be administered feasibly and are highly acceptable to veterans undergoing HNC treatment in a VA setting. HYP or MM interventions are feasible to implement with little demand on resources, and that listening to recordings is acceptable and helpful for veterans with pain related to cancer and cancer treatment. Further research is warranted to formally evaluate the efficacy of these interventions in this population in a well-powered study.