Mobile Mindfulness Meditation Intervention to Improve Neuropathy in Cancer Survivors

About the Study

The University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center is running a mobile app study to see how it impacts cancer-related neuropathy. We are asking people who have been diagnosed with cancer, have finished primary treatment and are experiencing neuropathy if they would like to use a mobile app for mindfulness meditation to see if it helps their neuropathy.  

Interested participants will be asked to follow the link for either anxiety OR neuropathy and to participate in only one of the studies, one time only. Upon enrollment, you will randomly be assigned to begin using the mobile app either immediately or after eight weeks. You will be asked to complete online questionnaires about your well-being upon your initial enrollment, 8 weeks later, and 16 weeks later.

What the Study Entails

• We are asking people who have been diagnosed with cancer and finished primary treatment if they would like to use a mobile app for mindfulness meditation to see if it improves anxiety or neuropathy.*
• Enrollment: If interested, please follow the link below to the survey for either the anxiety OR the neuropathy arm of the study. Please only participate in one of these, for one time only.
• Randomization: In both anxiety and neuropathy arms of the study, upon enrollment, participants will be randomized into one of two groups (Mobile App Group and Wait-List Control Group). Participants will have an equal chance of being assigned to either group.
• Follow-up: There will be three (3) timepoints, including the initial survey, at which participants will be asked to complete online questionnaires about their well-being: the initial survey, 8 weeks later, and 16 weeks later.

LINK TO NEUROPATHY STUDY

*Neuropathy is defined as a sensation of numbness, prickling or tingling that can include one or more of the following:

• Sharp, jabbing, throbbing or burning pain.
• Sensitivity to touch, including loss of sensitivity to hot and cold
• Loss of balance, difficulty walking or frequent falls
• Clumsiness
• Difficulty picking up objects or buttoning your clothes

Study Locations

This study is being run by the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center. It is conducted online and can be completed from anywhere in the U.S.

Study Lead Investigator

Erin O'Carroll Bantum, PhD
University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center
Honolulu, HI

The neuropathy arm of the study is open to men and women if they:

• Have a previous diagnosis of cancer, other than non-melanoma skin cancer
• Have completed primary treatment (hormone therapy accepted)
• Are experiencing cancer-related neuropathy*, per self-report
• Are 21 years or older
• Have a smartphone or tablet and access to the internet 
• Are NOT currently practicing meditation (no more than one hour per week)
• Are a resident of the U.S.

People are excluded if they do not meet the listed eligibility criteria.