Mind-Body Intervention in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia during the Watch-and-Wait Phase: Benefits Linked to Intervention Duration.

INTRODUCTION

Mind-body interventions (MBIs) are therapeutic practices that target the interactions between cognitive, emotional, and physiological systems to influence health outcomes. Previously, we demonstrated that MBI prolonged lymphocyte doubling time and treatment-free survival (TFS) in treatment-naïve chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients during the watch-and-wait phase. In this follow-up study, we investigated the long-term effects of MBI on TFS after the intervention ceased.

METHODS

Sixty participants from the initial study (34 who received intervention vs. 26 controls) were followed for an additional period of 20 months. TFS was assessed from the end of the intervention to the initiation of CLL therapy or death, using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test.

RESULTS

By the end of the follow-up, 9 participants who previously received MBI and 6 controls initiated CLL treatment. No significant difference in TFS was found between the groups (log-rank test, p = 0.65).

CONCLUSION

While MBI provided a clear advantage as long as it continued, our follow-up analysis suggests this effect diminishes after the intervention ends. Continuous or repeated MBI may be necessary for sustained improvements in TFS.