Art Therapy for Pain Relief
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can art therapy improve breast cancer patients' perception of post treatment pain and functioning? A mixed methods study.
IRAS ID
160375
Contact name
Clare Shaw
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Art therapy offers benefits and support for a range of psychological symptoms caused by cancer and its treatments, for example anxiety, stress, depression, sleeplessness, identity or end of life concerns. Persistent post treatment pain that adversely affects quality of life may be experienced by up to 50% of breast cancer patients. Factors such as depression, fear, anxiety or lack of sleep are shown to increase pain and suffering in people with cancer. A multi-treatment approach treatment of cancer pain is therefore recommended.
Art therapy offers an opportunity to communicate the experience of suffering in a non verbal mode and can be offered in addition to other treatment for pain.This pilot study proposes to explore the effect of art therapy on breast cancer patients' perception of pain, and its impact on daily functioning by offering four sessions of individual art therapy, spaced between one to three weeks apart.
The study will be open to breast cancer patients over the age of 18, who have been assessed by the Royal Marsden (RM) Pain Team, and who report having persistent post treatment pain of at least moderate intensity for the preceding two weeks despite having been optimally treated for their pain already, and who fulfil the inclusion criteria.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/1244
Date of REC Opinion
2 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion