Mindfulness-based interventions in oncology

Abstract

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 7.6 million (or 13%) of all deaths in 2005 (World Health Organization, 2005). According to cancer prevalence statistics, as of January 1, 2004, it was estimated that there were 10.7 million cancer survivors in the United States alone, which represents approximately 3.6% of the country's population (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, 2007). These numbers will only grow as treatments for cancer become more successful and a larger cohort of patients survive long-term. Regardless of increasingly promising survival statistics (up to 65% of all patients now survive beyond 5 years in North America (National Cancer Institute of Canada, 2007; Ries et al., 2007)), receiving a diagnosis of cancer and undergoing cancer treatment continues to be a source of dread and fear for many. © 2009 Springer-Verlag New York.