Hypnotherapy could bring real benefits to cancer patient care

Hypnotherapy may offer many benefits to cancer patients, but a recently published study found that Complementary therapies in clinical practice Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) highlighted the need for further education in this area.

“Hypnotherapy in a clinical setting is quite different from hypnotherapy that is performed for the entertainment of an audience. In clinical use, hypnotherapy is a very mental process in which the hypnotherapist talks to the patient. It is actually very similar to meditation,” explained Malwina Szmaglińska, a doctoral student at ECU.

For cancer patients, hypnotherapy can offer many benefits, including managing nausea, pain, anxiety and depression, and improving quality of life.

“Hypnotherapy is very non-threatening, non-invasive and has no side effects. It can be delivered in a variety of ways, including recorded sessions for individual use, group sessions to provide a collective experience, or customized one-on-one sessions tailored to address specific patient symptoms,” Szmaglinska said.

She noted that hypnotherapy also empowers patients by teaching them skills such as self-hypnosis to help them manage their symptoms and improve their overall health.

Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Australia, with the number of new cancer cases diagnosed each year predicted to exceed 200,000 by 2033.

This represents a significant increase from approximately 88,000 cases in 2000 to an estimated 165,000 cases in 2023. Despite advances in treatment, the emotional and psychological challenges of cancer treatment are often overlooked.

Hypnotherapy—A Treatment Option

Modern cancer treatments have contributed to improved survival rates, but are often associated with side effects such as nausea, fatigue and reduced quality of life. The cancer trajectory is also accompanied by emotional and psychological challenges, such as depression and anxiety, which significantly impact quality of life, treatment adherence and overall survival outcomes.

“Addressing the psychosocial aspects of care more effectively has a largely untapped potential to not only improve patients’ quality of life but also to positively impact disease progression.”

“Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is widespread and increasing among adult cancer patients, with up to 87% of patients reported to be receiving at least one CAM therapy after diagnosis.”

Szmaglinska argues that despite hypnotherapy being effective in managing the complex symptoms associated with cancer and being included in the Australian Cancer Society’s list of effective mind-body therapies, it is not widely used in cancer treatment.

“Not only is there a lack of education about hypnotherapy, but the cost of treatment is quite high. While counseling and psychotherapy are often covered by Medicare, hypnotherapy is not.”

“Conversely, hypnotherapy is often less expensive than counselling or psychology and generally requires fewer sessions. However, it is not covered by Medicare and represents a significant capital expenditure, especially if the patient is undergoing significantly more expensive treatment.”

Future studies will explore possible knowledge gaps, attitudes, and misconceptions among health care professionals that may be barriers to the widespread adoption of hypnotherapy as a complementary treatment in cancer care.

“Understanding these barriers is crucial in developing interventions that will facilitate the integration of hypnotherapy into standard cancer treatment protocols,” Szmaglinska said.