A long-term study of patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has found that those who were given relaxation therapy and hypnotherapy in addition to chemotherapy were more likely to survive than those receiving chemotherapy alone.These are the results of a study by Professor Leslie Walker, of Hull University, and Dr. Marcia Ratcliffe and Dr. Audrey Dawson, of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, reported today to The British Psychological Society's Centenary Annual Conference held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow.
In the study, 63 patients were followed up for 13 years after a diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Immediately after the diagnosis, they took part in a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the effects of relaxation therapy and hypnotherapy as additional treatments to chemotherapy.
Professor Walker and his colleagues found that overall, those who had the relaxation and hypnotherapy were more likely to survive than those who did not, even when stage of disease and age at diagnosis were taken into account.
People with high levels of social conformity and high depression scores at diagnosis had poorer survival rates, and those with high levels of social conformity who had hypnotherapy and relaxation therapy benefited the most.
Professor Walker said, "If these findings can be repeated, there are obvious implications for treating patients with lymphoma."
[Contact: Sue Cavill]
30-Mar-2001
