Study: forest therapy for breast cancer patients
Study: forest therapy for breast cancer patients
Reference
Kim Bj, Jeong H, Park S, Lee S. Forest adjuvant cancer therapy to improve natural cytotoxicity in urban women with breast cancer: a preliminary prospective intervention study. EUR J integ. Med. 2015; 7 (5): 474-478.
Design & participants
eleven women (at the age of 25 to 60) who were treated in Seoul, South Korea and due to breast cancer in stage I-III, all were brought to a forested national park for a 14-day "forest therapy". The participants stayed in log cabins in the forest, took part in a structured 3-mile forest hike every morning and were able to participate in a variety of self-directed personal or group activities in the afternoon. Otherwise, all participants were healthy and had no recognizable physical or mental health problems.
target parameter
Baseline blood samples were taken 3 times:
- Before you leave Seoul for the two -week forest therapy session (day 1),
- at the end of forest therapy (day 14) and
- A week after returning to Seoul (day 21).
These samples were analyzed to the number of natural killer cells (NK) as well as the serum concentrations of Perforin and Granzym B, the cytotoxic "arsenal" enzymes of NK, which lyze and interrupt the tumor cell function.
important knowledge
All blood measurements showed statistically significant climbs. The NK cell number rose by 39 % (319.4/µl to 444.6/µl, p < 0.01) between Baseline and the end of forest therapy. A week after returning to the city, the NK number had decreased, although it was still increased by 13 % compared to the starting value (361.8/µl).
cytotoxic proteases experienced persistent concentration increases during forest therapy and during the follow -up period. The Perforin concentration rose by 59 % from the initial value to the completion of the forest therapy (216.9 pg/ml to 344.9 pg/ml) and continued to rose to 114 % (463.2 pg/ml) of the starting values ( p < 0.02). Similarly, the concentration of granzym B rose by 155 % from the initial value to the end of forest therapy (4.4 pg/ml to 11.2 pg/ml) and finally to 359 % above the starting value (20.2 pg/ml, p < 0.02).
All participants completed the entire course of forest therapy without reported side effects.
practice implications
The medical treatment of breast cancer (e.g. operation, radiation, chemotherapy) can be strict and immunosuppressive. 2.3 A destruction or reduction of the tumor mass can be achieved, but is at the expression of the patient's natural antitumor NK cell functions. Complementary and integrative health (CIH, formerly known as a complementary and alternative medicine or cam 4 ) Approaches are known for supporting the health and well-being of the patient while at the same time treatment of their illness. This small study on accompanying forest therapy is a great example of the advantages of a CIH approach for breast cancer treatment.
The mental advantages of "contact with nature" include improved cognition, memory and attention as well as increased feelings of prosociality, determination, spiritual connection and quality of life.
This study uses an experience that is traditionally known as "forest air bathing" ( Shinrin-Yoku in Japanese), which has been part of Asian cultures for centuries and has been empirically examined for more than a decade. People go into the forest to be flooded by the pleasant scenes, noises and smells. Of particular medical interest in forest therapy are the aromatural connections known as "phytonicidal", a class of naturally occurring terpenes that are produced by many forest trees and have an immunosimizing NK properties both in vivo and in vivo. shown 7 ; However, this current study is one of the first to measure oncotoxic cytokine levels in a clinically relevant population. While the design of the study excludes the causality of the biomar climb directly to the forest exposure, previous studies that provide information on similar NK cell effects suggest that such a cause-effect relationship is available.
Of course, the potential immunomodulation of phytonicid exposure is not the only advantage of participating in forest therapy. Reduction of allostatic stress (e.g. blood pressure, cortisol, HRV, IL-6, TNF- a ) with the resulting reduction in inflammation and functional disorders of the autonomous nervous system is a number of well-reported advantages. Others. 11.12 Other mental advantages of "contact with nature" are improved cognition, memory and attention, 9.13-15 as well as increased feelings of prosociality, meaningfulness, spiritual connection and quality of life. holistic approach to health promotion for everyone and everyone, including cancer patients.
restrictions
As a feasibility study, there were many problems that this little attempt could not address. There was no comparison group that acted as a control, so it is not possible to attribute biomarker changes to forest therapy solely. In their discussion, however, the authors state that they intend to have a waiting list control group for their next, larger study. Since it was a 2-week living group experience, it is also possible that other activities than the stay in the forest (e.g. social interaction) were responsible for the measured effects. A similarly designed living experience in another setting would help to differentiate this. After all, no measurement of phytoniciders in the air was carried out, which makes it impossible to say whether this proposed mechanism of action is really responsible for NK immune modulation.
graduation
The results of this first feasibility study, which are supported by evidence from the literature, are sufficient to say that a forest therapy program can be an advantageous method of accompanying cancer treatment. Future studies will be necessary to determine whether biomarker results can be translated into clinical success-i.e. whether an increased NK number and cytotoxin centering induced by forest therapy can reduce tumors and combat cancer with a CiH approach.
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