Complementary Medicine for Fatigue and Cortisol Variability in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Biofield Therapy for Breast Cancer Survivors
This RCT in breast cancer survivors found that a 4-week biofield therapy program significantly improved fatigue and diurnal cortisol variability for many participants. Interestingly the patients’ expectation about whether they received real healing did not predict who improved, suggesting results may not simply reflect placebo.
Research Question: Can biofield healing (energy work) reduce the severe fatigue often felt by breast cancer survivors? Does it work better than a "mock" treatment, and do the patient's own beliefs about healing change the results?
Key Findings: Biofield healing significantly reduced fatigue and improved the body's stress hormone (cortisol) rhythms. While a "mock" treatment also helped reduce fatigue, only the real biofield healing improved internal physical hormone patterns, and these benefits happened regardless of whether the patient believed the treatment would work or not.
Design: A rigorous "blinded" randomized controlled trial.
- Intervention Groups: Participants were split into three groups: 1) Real biofield healing, 2) Mock healing (performed by scientists who used the same hand positions but without any healing intent), and 3) A waitlist group.
- Dosage: Eight 1-hour sessions over four weeks (twice per week).
Subjects: n= 76 breast cancer survivors experiencing significant fatigue.
Biofield / Energy Healing Intervention: Energy chelation (a hands-on Healing Touch technique involving specific positions from the feet to the head).
Results:
- Overall Results: The treatments were very well-received, with nearly all participants completing the full month of sessions and reporting no side effects.
- Primary Outcome Results: Both the real and mock healing groups saw a major, life-changing drop in fatigue compared to the waitlist group.
- Secondary Outcome Results: Only the real biofield healing group showed a significant improvement in cortisol variability (a healthy stress response). A patient's belief in the treatment helped improve their general "quality of life" scores, but it did not change their physical fatigue or hormone results.
Discussion:
- The reduction in fatigue was so significant that survivors went from "severe fatigue" to feeling better than many patients do even before they start chemotherapy.
- Because the hormone changes only happened in the real healing group, the study suggests biofield therapy has a physical effect on the body that is not just a "placebo effect" or based on belief.
- While simple touch and resting in a quiet room (as seen in the mock group) can help with tiredness, the specific energy healing technique provides a unique benefit for the body's internal stress systems.
Conclusion: Biofield healing is a promising, non-drug treatment that can help breast cancer survivors significantly reduce fatigue and regulate their stress hormones. These benefits are real and occur independently of a patient's belief in the therapy.
Link to Publication: https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.26345
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