Cecile Annette Lengacher

• PhD Educational Pyschology
• Managing Director at University of South Florida

Context: Limited evidence exists related to quality of life (QOL) and survival between treatment intensities of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The American Society of Hematology recommends shared decision-making when treating older adults with newly diagnosed AML according to individual goals of care. Objective: The objective of...

Context In-person research due to the COVID-19 pandemic for non-therapeutic research was suspended. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of remote consenting and quality of life data collection. Design The study design was a longitudinal, observational design via remote Zoom platform. The study began in May 2021....

Context Accumulating data have shown that several factors influence quality of life (QOL) in oncology patients, making this an important clinical endpoint. Such studies have concluded that gender differences exist for QOL symptoms; therefore, these should be incorporated into clinical decision-making to optimize patient management and improve outco...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, antivaccination social media accounts are proliferating online, threatening to further escalate vaccine hesitancy related to the COVID-19 vaccine. This commentary seeks to alert and encourage the health care provider community, including health care professionals and academic organizations, to engage in social media to...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, antivaccination social media accounts are proliferating online, threatening to further escalate vaccine hesitancy related to the COVID-19 vaccine. This commentary seeks to alert and encourage the health care provider community, including health care professionals and academic organizations, to engage in social media to...

Background Informal caregivers, often family and friends, experience significant psychological and physical distress leading to reductions in health and quality of life (QOL). Mind-body interventions focused on caregivers are often limited and do not address multiple barriers, including caregivers’ economic, geographic, and time constraints. Transl...

Context Older patients (age ≥60 years) diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are often not able to determine treatment options that align with goals to enhance their quality of life (QOL). Current decision-making for treating otherwise physically fit older AML adults focus on survival without addressing QOL. Objective The overall objective o...

Background: Informal caregivers, often family and friends, experience significant psychological and physical distress leading to reductions in health and quality of life (QOL). Mind-body interventions focused on caregivers are often limited and do not address multiple barriers, including caregivers’ economic, geographic, and time constraints. Trans...

Background: Informal caregivers, often family and friends, experience significant psychological and physical distress leading to reductions in health and quality of life (QOL). Mind-body interventions focused on caregivers are often limited and do not address multiple barriers, including caregivers’ economic, geographic, and time constraints. Trans...

MBSR(BC) is known to have a positive impact on psychological and physical symptoms among breast cancer survivors (BCS). However, the cognitive mechanisms of “how” MBSR(BC) works are unknown. The purpose of this study, as part of a larger R01 trial, was to test whether positive effects achieved from the MBSR(BC) program were mediated through changes...

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) often experience psychological and physiological symptoms after cancer treatment. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a complementary and alternative therapy, has reduced subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and fatigue among BCS. Little is known, however, about how MBSR affects objective markers of stress, s...

Problem identification: This review identifies specific cardiotoxicity related to anthracycline chemotherapy, specific risk factors related to increased anthracycline chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, and underlying mechanisms of action of anthracycline chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. Literature search: PubMed®, CINAHL®, Embase®, and Web...

Genetic variations of breast cancer survivors (BCS) may contribute to level of residual symptoms, such as depression, stress, fatigue, and cognitive impairment. The objective of this study was to investigate whether particular single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) moderated symptom improvement resulting from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction...

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of delivering the mobile Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Breast Cancer (mMBSR(BC)) program using an iPad and to evaluate its impact on symptom improvement. Methods: A single group, pre-posttest design was implemented among female stages 0-III breast cancer survivors (B...

Resumen La depresión es un trastorno mental que resulta en una marcada desregulación emocional. Dicha alteración del afecto es uno de los temas centrales en la depresión clínica y se encuentra presente a través de un significativo número de síntomas y comportamientos, incluyendo el suicidio. Esta dimensión transdiagnóstica requiere atención psicote...

Background: The Institute of Federal Health Care recently published an executive summary from a round table discussion indicating that active duty and retired female military personnel are at high risk for adverse health outcomes unique to military service including complications related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), unreported sexual...

Purpose: The purpose of this substudy of a large randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Breast Cancer) (MBSR[BC]) program compared to usual care (UC) in normalizing blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines among breast cancer survivors (BCS). Method: A total of 322 BCS were randomize...

The purpose of this review is to summarize current evidence surrounding chemotherapy-related autonomic impairment and psychological factors that may affect heart rate variability among BCS treated with chemotherapy.

Purpose: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among Hispanic women, who are also reported to suffer more from poorer psychosocial outcomes. Translation of self‐regulating interventions for breast cancer survivors (BCS) may reduce ethnic disparities and have the potential to improve CI among Spanish‐speaking populations. No ide...

Context: Breast cancer survivors (BCS) face adverse physical and psychological symptoms, often co-occurring. Biological and psychological factors may link symptoms within clusters, distinguishable by prevalence and/or severity. Few studies have examined the effects of behavioral interventions or treatment of symptom clusters. Objectives: The aim...

Purpose: The purpose of this randomized trial was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Breast Cancer (MBSR[BC]) program in improving psychological and physical symptoms and quality of life among breast cancer survivors (BCSs) who completed treatment. Outcomes were assessed immediately after 6 weeks of MBSR(BC) tra...

RESUMEN Presentamos un resumen y una breve historia del creciente campo de Intervenciones Basadas en mindfulness o conciencia plena. En los últimos tiempos, existe un gran interés en este modelo terapéutico para reducir la vulnerabilidad al estrés crónico y distrés emocional. Mindfulness requiere intencionalmente enfocar nuestra atención a las expe...

Many breast cancer survivors continue to experience residual symptoms including anxiety, cognitive impairment, depression, fatigue, and pain. In this study, the cost-effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention for breast cancer survivors was examined. The cost of the program was assessed from the societal perspective, account...

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of on-site complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) education sessions to maximize quality of life for women with ovarian cancer. The pilot intervention consisted of four weekly sessions, each focusing the techniques and benefits of a particular CAM topic (e.g., nutrition, massage, r...

Breast cancer (BC) survivors often report cognitive impairment, which may be influenced by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The purpose of this study was to test whether particular SNPs were associated with changes in cognitive function in BC survivors and whether these polymorphisms moderated cognitive improvement resulting from the Mindful...

Body image is a complex issue with the potential to impact many aspects of cancer survivorship, particularly for the younger breast cancer survivor. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the current state of the science for body image in younger women with breast cancer. Combinations of the terms "body image," "sexuality intervention," "women...

Sleep disturbances are recognized as a side effect of cancer treatment, affecting physiological and psychological functioning. Sleep disturbances can persist through treatment and survivorship, and are increasingly prevalent among breast cancer survivors (BCSs). The purpose of this review is to summarize current research on subjective and objective...

. Limited research has been conducted on the moderating effect of race/ethnicity on objective sleep disturbances in breast cancer survivors (BCSs). Objective . To explore racial/ethnic differences in objective sleep disturbances among BCSs and their relationship with self-reported symptoms. Intervention/Methods . Sleep disturbance and symptoms were...

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer survivors (MBSR(BC)) on multiple measures of objective and subjective sleep parameters among breast cancer survivors (BCS).Methods Data were collected using a two-armed randomized controlled design among BCS enrolled in either...

Background As many as 70% of veterans with chronic pain treated within the US Veterans Administration (VA) system may have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and conversely, up to 80% of those with PTSD may have pain. We describe pain experienced by US service members and veterans with symptoms of PTSD, and report on the effect of Accelerated Re...

Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1. Identify risk assessment for sexually transmitted infection (STI) exposure. 2. Explore communication skills and their role in preventing STIs. 3. Use Second Life, a virtual environment, as an educational intervention to increase the knowledge of safer sex practices and viral STI risk reduction. Purpose...

Practice Implications: There is increasing recognition that the amount of sedentary behavior that an individual engages in has a large impact on health, regardless of the person's exercise participation. Reducing sedentary behavior may be a viable new strategy that practitioners can adopt to improve recovery and health outcomes of cancer survivors....

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fear of recurrence among breast cancer (BC) survivors. However, the effects of MBSR (BC) on telomere length (TL) and telomerase activity (TA), known markers of cellular aging, psychological stress, and disease risk, are not known. This randomized, wait-listed, co...

Researchers focused on patient-centered medicine are increasingly trying to identify baseline factors that predict treatment success. Because the quantity and function of lymphocyte subsets change during stress, we hypothesized that these subsets would serve as stress markers and therefore predict which breast cancer patients would benefit most fro...

Therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) endorsed by the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration are relatively lengthy, costly, and yield variable success. We evaluated Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for the treatment of combat-related psychological trauma. A randomized controlled trial of ART versus an Attention Control...

This uncontrolled prospective cohort study evaluated the use of accelerated resolution therapy (ART) for treatment of comorbid symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder. Twenty-eight adult subjects, mean age of 41 years (79% female, 36% Hispanic), received a mean of 3.7 ± 1.1 ART treatment sessions (range 1–5)....

The purpose of this research was to present the latest development of the The Perceived Emotional Distress Inventory (PEDI) as a brief 15-item self-report measure intended to be used for the assessment of psychological distress in cancer patients. Factor Analyses of Principal Components with promax rotations were performed with a combined male and...

To investigate the mechanism(s) of action of mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR(BC)) including reductions in fear of recurrence and other potential mediators. Eighty-two post-treatment breast cancer survivors (stages 0-III) were randomly assigned to a 6-week MBSR(BC) program (n = 40) or to usual care group (UC) (n = 42). Psychological and phy...

This article proposes an innovative, theoretically-driven intervention to reduce risk from human papillomavirus (HPV). This lessening of HPV risk would lead to a reduction in the rate of cervical cancer. Aims of this article are to introduce a culturally appropriate model (PEN-3) that may facilitate vaccine uptake among vulnerable populations and t...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent, disabling anxiety disorder. This prospective cohort study reports on a new exposure-based therapy known as Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART®) that incorporates the use of eye movements administered in a brief treatment period (1–5 one-hour sessions within three weeks). Eighty adults aged 21–6...

Purpose: To investigate whether a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for cancer (MBSR-C) improved psychological and physical symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and stress markers among advanced-stage cancer patients and caregivers. Design: A pilot within-subject design was used. Method: Patients previously diagnosed with advanced-stage b...

The purpose of this research was to present the latest development of the The Perceived Emotional Distress Inventory (PEDI) as a brief 15-item self-report measure intended to be used for the assessment of psychological distress in cancer patients. Factor Analyses of Principal Components with promax rotations were performed with a combined male and...

Recibido: 29 de abril del 2012 / Aceptado: 1 de junio del 2012 El propósito de este artículo fue presentar la construcción del inventario multicultural de la depresión, estado-rasgo (Imuder).Tomando en consideración el marco teórico de Susan Folkman acerca de la coexistencia de emociones positivas y negativas en el proceso de estrés severo y depres...

Objectives: This randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine immune recovery following breast cancer (BC) therapy and evaluate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy (MBSR) on immune recovery with emphasis on lymphocyte subsets, T cell activation, and production of T-helper 1 (Th1; interferon [IFN]-γ) and T-helper 2 (Th2...

To investigate prevalence and severity of symptoms and symptom clustering in breast cancer survivors who attended MBSR(BC). Women were randomly assigned into MBSR(BC) or Usual Care (UC). Eligible women were ≥ 21 years, had been diagnosed with breast cancer and completed treatment within 18 months of enrollment. Symptoms and interference with daily...

To assess the feasibility of whether mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has a positive effect on breast cancer survivors' psychological status, psychosocial characteristics, symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) during the critical transition period from end of treatment to resumption of daily activities. Single-group, quasi-experimental, pret...

Aims: The aims were to: 1) investigate the presence of symptom clusters (through self report on the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI)); and 2) examine if the MBSR program had a positive effect on relationships of these clusters to interference with everyday functioning. Methods: The two-armed RCT randomized 84 female breast cancer survivors...

Conclusions: Among breast cancer survivors, MBSR (BC) influences a more rapid recovery of functional T cells capable of being activated by mitogen with the Th1 phenotype. In contrast, the recovery of B cells and NK cells after completion of cancer treatment appears to occur independent of stress-reducing interventions, such as MBSR. In addition, ch...

Considerable morbidity persists among survivors of breast cancer (BC) including high levels of psychological stress, anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and physical symptoms including pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, and impaired quality of life. Effective interventions are needed during this difficult transitional period. We conducted...

This is the final article in a four part series reviewing the influence of humor and laughter on physiological and psychological well-being. This final article reviews the evidence for the effect of sense of humor, exposure to a humor stimulus and laughter on various immune system components, with a focus on the effects of laughter on natural kille...

Introduction: Following treatment for breast cancer, survivors frequently experience poor quality of life including residual levels of stress, anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Effective intervention strategies are needed during this difficult transitional period.

Introduction: Following treatment for breast cancer, survivors frequently experience poor quality of life including residual levels of stress, anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Effective intervention strategies are needed during this difficult transitional period.

The use of relaxation and guided imagery to reduce stress and improve immune function has great potential benefits for patients with breast cancer. This pilot study used a pretest-posttest experimental design with 28 breast cancer patients, aged 25 to 75 years, with the diagnosis of stage 0, 1, or 2 breast cancer. The experimental group received a...

In this article, we assessed the cross-cultural validity of the Women's Role Strain Inventory (WRSI), a multi-item instrument that assesses the degree of strain experienced by women who juggle the roles of working professional, student, wife and mother. Cross-cultural validity is evinced by demonstrating the measurement invariance of the WRSI. Meas...

To date, there is no instrument that measures role strain experienced by Chinese speaking women engaged in multiple roles of working professionals, and wife/mother. The objectives of this study were to: (1) translate the women's role strain inventory (WRSI) into Chinese; (2) compare the translated version (WRSI-C) to the original English version of...

This is part three of a four-part series reviewing the evidence on how humor influences physiological and psychological well-being. The first article included basic background information, definitions and a review of the theoretical underpinnings for this area of research. The second article discussed use of humor as a complementary therapy within...

Non-disclosure of emotions has been shown to inhibit individuals' adjustment to illness and formulation of adequate coping mechanisms. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine responses to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and patterns of coping through an analysis of written reflective journals. Eight women submitted their j...

Our results support a connection between sense of humor and self-reported physical health, however, it is difficult to determine the relationship to any specific disease process. Whereas relationships between sense of humor and self-reported measures of physical well-being appear to be supported, more research is required to determine interrelation...

Articles in both the lay and professional literature have extolled the virtues of humor, many giving the impression that the health benefits of humor are well documented by the scientific and medical community. The concept that humor or laughter can be therapeutic goes back to biblical times and this belief has received varying levels of support fr...

To identify use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for relief of symptoms and side effects among women diagnosed with breast cancer and to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with the use of CAM in these patients. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey. Clinics and community groups in the Tampa Bay area and community gr...

To perform an integrative research analysis of the literature regarding lycopene, its antioxidant capacity, and its nutritive and physiologic effects on breast cancer. Articles published from 1990-2004 using PubMed as the primary retrieval base. Forty articles were retrieved and a dimensional analysis was performed based on Fawcett's integrative re...

To design and test a reliable and valid instrument to determine the frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies among women diagnosed with breast cancer. A descriptive cross-sectional survey. Women were recruited from the southeastern area and a rural midwestern area of the United States. 105 predominantly Caucasian w...

To estimate the frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies among women diagnosed with breast cancer and to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with CAM use in these patients. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of 105 predominantly Caucasian women (mean age = 59 years) with a...