Mindfulness and cancer
Schroevers,Maya van der Lee,Marije Schellekens,Melanie
Schroevers,Maya
van der Lee,Marije
Schellekens,Melanie
Abstract
Life circumstances can be stressful, especially for people confronted with severe illness such as cancer. People may have to deal with physical suffering due to cancer and its treatment. The cancer experience may also cause feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and problems with sleep and concentration. This may also lead to limitations in daily activities at home and work and with others. Mindfulness-based interventions, based on the practice of meditation, can assist people in managing the illness by helping them to be more present in the moment, relax the body and mind, take care of themselves, and feel better. This chapter will first describe the cancer journey, including the medical aspects of cancer and its treatment, followed by descriptions of mindfulness-based programs that have been developed for people with cancer, and evidence for their efficacy and benefits for people with cancer regarding their health and well-being.
Description
Date
2025
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Publisher
Palgrave Macmillan
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Keywords
cancer, Mindfulness, Meditation, Resilience, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Citation
Schroevers, M, van der Lee, M & Schellekens, M 2025, Mindfulness and cancer. in F Sirois (ed.), Palgrave handbook of positive psychology and health. 1st edn, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 393-414. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-89095-6_16