Using Meditation for Oncology Anxiety

The current study is a prospective, interventional, randomized, treatment-controlled study, evaluating the use of Meditation with a Mantra (MM) to decrease anxiety levels and improve Quality of Life (QOL) in prostate cancer patients receiving radiation treatment. The study will be conducted across 6 radiation treatment sessions in men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer, Stage 1 to 3A, and men with recurrent prostate cancer. Patients will receive six radiation sessions with usual care with or without the addition of MM. MM Group patients will be given a log at the beginning of the study to record how long they are meditating and if they found meditation beneficial. The General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) is a validated tool and will be used to assess anxiety in all participants. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate, Version 4 (FACT-P) is a validated measure of QOL in prostate cancer patients and will be used to assess QOL in all participants. A one month follow up phone call will determine if the patients are continuing to use the MM and if they found the practice of MM useful not only in their radiation treatment sessions but in their everyday lives.