Breast cancer and Reiki

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006, about 212,900 women in the US will learn that they have invasive breast cancer. American women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing this type of cancer at some point in their lives, and about 2 million have already been treated for the disease. Fortunately, breast cancer mortality rates have dropped dramatically. Early detection, as well as advances in chemotherapy and other treatments, mean that there are more and more breast cancer survivors each year.[i]

As with any type of cancer, traditional breast cancer treatments can cause their own variety of health problems. Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and low blood cell counts often follow chemotherapy and radiation. In a recent study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Michael Hassett of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston found that 16% of breast cancer patients under the age of 64 required a hospital visit to monitor the side effects of chemotherapy.[ii] Chemotherapy targets all rapidly growing cells, including white blood cells (known as neutrophils), which support the immune system. Neutropenia, meaning white blood cell counts have fallen below normal levels, reduces the immune response to invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.[iii] Consequently, the most common and serious reason for hospital visits after chemotherapy was high fever from infections. Anemia, resulting from a low red blood cell count, poses additional difficulties in the form of extreme fatigue.

Anti-nausea drugs, blood transfusions, and lab-made white blood cell “booster” are now part of a growing arsenal of coping strategies.[iv] But for women who feel conflicted about taking drugs in the first place, these solutions can seem too toxic or even add additional complaints. Neurophil enhancers, for example, cause temporary bone pain as the marrow rapidly produces more cells. Leigh Leming, 54, a breast cancer survivor whose cancer later came back and metastasized, decided this time she wanted to try something different. Unable to eat due to nausea, she now follows the advice of an Ayurvedic chef. She drinks a shot of ginger, lemon juice and honey before every meal. “It’s the only thing that keeps my food down,” explains Leming. She also drinks wheatgrass juice to boost her blood counts, because 2 ounces of wheatgrass juice contains nutrients equivalent to 4 pounds of organic produce: “The difference in my energy levels is amazing!”

As a patient at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Leming noticed flyers offering Reiki sessions there. Reiki (pronounced “RAY-key”) is an ancient healing energy system rediscovered in the late 19th century by a Japanese monk named Dr. Mikao Usui. The “Rei” means “universal” and the “ki” refers to “life force energy” similar to “Chi” in Chinese healing or “prana” in yoga. Therefore, Reiki means “universal life force energy”, which works on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. By influencing all of these levels, Reiki is believed to gently but dramatically amplify people’s innate abilities to heal themselves. One can perform Reiki with the hands on or on the body, and even at great distances. Most people notice it as warmth, tingling, or a feeling of deep love and support.

Leming’s friends at St. Luke’s Wellness Center explained that they receive Reiki sessions before chemotherapy to offset some of their post-chemo reactions. Other patients noted a dramatic improvement in pain levels after Reiki treatments. After experiencing some of this pain relief herself – “I actually forget to take my pain pills after a Reiki session” – Leming gathered a group of patients and survivors to learn how to treat themselves with Reiki. Having received an attunement (opening of the body’s natural energy pathways) from a Reiki master teacher, they can now feel the flow of Reiki through their own hands. Although her pain returns, Leming reports a greater sense of calm and peace in dealing with pain, as well as other cancer stressors, such as finances and family relationships.

No formal American study has shown the effectiveness of Reiki in the treatment of cancer; however, the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative recently awarded a $20,000 grant to Dr. Ahlam Mansour of the University of Saskatchewan School of Nursing. Dr. Mansour will study “the effects of Reiki on anxiety level, physical problems, spiritual well-being, and complete blood counts in patients undergoing their initial AC (chemotherapy).”[v] The June 1997 issue of Cancer Prevention Control shared preliminary results from a controlled study at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Canada. Twenty volunteers with chronic pain, including cancer pain, received Reiki treatments from a certified Reiki Level 2 practitioner. Study supervisors used a visual analog scale (VAS) and a Likert scale to measure pain before and after treatment. Reiki. The study found that receiving Reiki greatly improved pain levels.[vi]

Throughout the United States, hospitals and hospices have begun to value Reiki. In 1997, Nancy Samson, RN, BS, began coordinating a volunteer Reiki program in the radiation oncology ward at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. Today, the center offers Reiki certification classes and announces a 50% reimbursement of the cost of the class for DHMC employees. [vii] California Pacific Medical Center’s prestigious Health and Healing Clinic offers Reiki, as well as acupressure, nutritional therapy, and yoga. [viii] Hospices are increasingly offering Reiki to patients as a means of relieving pain and reducing anxiety about the unknown.

Arizona is home to one of the longest relationships between Reiki and traditional cancer treatment. Sally Soderlund, RN (Oncology Support Services Coordinator) directs the Tucson Medical Center (TMC) Reiki Clinic. The Reiki program at TMC began over 11 years ago in the Cancer Care Unit. Since then, it has also expanded to other areas of the hospital. Reiki practitioners at TMC generally describe Reiki as “energy healing” and work together in teams of two. They emphasize the relaxing and healing qualities of Reiki, rather than delve into the metaphysics. Although some patients report spiritual experiences during Reiki sessions, volunteers explain that Reiki is a healing system, not a religion. The success of the TMC clinic continues due to patient requests for repeat sessions, as well as nurses’ reports of improved patient mood and cure rate.[ix]

The American Cancer Society considers Reiki to be a “safe” complementary therapy for cancer. Their website acknowledges subjective reports from patients about Reiki’s ability to speed healing and increase their sense of well-being. Like massage, Reiki induces relaxation, slows the heart rate and lowers stress levels. Studies indicate that people heal better if they can stay in a low-stress state. However, because massage actually manipulates tissue, the American Cancer Society recommends avoiding areas near tumors until research shows whether tissue manipulation can spread cancer cells to other parts of the body.[x] Unlike massage, Reiki involves light touch or no touch at all: there is no tissue manipulation. Recipients remain clothed as the energy flows over and into their body. For people with multiple tumor sites, Reiki offers the opportunity to harness the healing power of relaxation without contraindications.

[i] American Cancer Society: Cancer Reference Information. cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_How_many_people_get_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=

[ii] About health and fitness: breastcancer.about.com/

[iii] “How Cancer Can Put You at Risk for Serious Infection.” Healthmonitor: July-August 2006, p. S3.

[iv] “Take care of yourself.” Healthmonitor: July-August 2006, p. S4.

[v] Source: Office of Communications, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, usask.ca/communications/ocn/Apr24/news8.html.

[vi] Source: Olson K, Hanson J, 1997. “Use of Reiki for Pain Management: Preliminary Report.” Cancer Prevention Control 1997, June, Vol.1(2): pages 108-13.

[vii] Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center: classes and events. dhmc.org/dhmc/webpage.cfm?site_id=2&morg_id=0&org_id=1&sec_id=3&gsec_id=3&item_id=3

[viii] CPMC Institute for Health and Healing. cpmc.org/services/ihh/professionals/overview.html

[ix] Rand, William Lee. “Reiki in Hospitals”. Reiki News Articles: The International Center for Reiki Training. reiki.org/reikinews/reiki_in_hospitals.html

[x] American Cancer Society. “Reiki” and “Massage”. cancer.org/docroot/eto/content/eto_5_3x_massage.asp?sitearea=eto