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EFFECTIVENESS OF HYPNOTHERAPY WITH CANCER PATIENTS 341
Syrjala, Donaldson, Davis, Kippes, and Carr (1995) used a random-
ized, control trial (RCT) study to examine the effectiveness of cogni-
tive-behavioral techniques (CBT) and relaxation and imagery (called
hypnosis in Syrjala et al., 1992) training in reducing cancer-related
pain. Cancer patients (
N
= 94) who underwent bone-marrow transplan-
tation were randomized into four groups: treatment as usual; therapist
support; relaxation and imagery (hypnosis); and cognitive-behavioral
coping skills (including imagery). Patients receiving either relaxation
and imagery or cognitive-behavioral coping skills reported less pain
than patients in the other two groups. Although relaxation and imag-
ery were effective in reducing procedural pain, the addition of cognitive-
behavioral intervention did not demonstrate any additional effect.
Faymonville et al. (1997) compared the effectiveness of hypnosis
with conventional stress-reducing strategies for reducing periopera-
tive discomfort during conscious sedation for plastic surgery. The hyp-
nosis group required less analgesia and less sedation, had better
perioperative pain and anxiety relief and improved patient satisfaction
and surgical conditions. However, since the intervention was never
defined as such to patients, it is difficult to make a firm interpretation
of the results.
Lang et al. (2000) randomly assigned 241 patients with benign or
malignant disease categories undergoing cutaneous vascular and renal
procedures to standard care, structured attention, or self-hypnotic
relaxation. Structured attention and hypnosis conditions involved
components described in a treatment manual procedure. Times for
operative procedures were shorter and hemodynamic stability was
greater in the hypnosis group relative to the attention control group.
Both attention and hypnosis treatments showed less drug use than did
the standard care condition. This well-designed study inspired clini-
cians in adapting those techniques used in interventional radiology to
other medical contexts that involved alleviating anxiety and discom-
fort in procedures (Shenefelt, 2003). Schupp, Berbaum, Berbaum, and
Lang (2005) conducted a study using the same cohort of patients as in
Lang et al.’s study. Patients (
N
= 236) were divided into two groups
based on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score: low-state and high-
state anxiety. The high-anxiety group required more procedure times
and more medication. Anxiety decreased over time for both groups
(exception: lows receiving attention). Highs derived most gains from
the use of nonpharmacological analgesia.
In Liossi and Hatira (1999), 30 pediatric patients were randomized
to three groups: hypnosis, cognitive-behavior therapy, and standard
controls. Although there was no difference in therapy efficacy between
hypnosis and cognitive-behavior therapy groups, both groups
reported less pain and anxiety than the controls. Level of hypnotizabil-
ity was found to be correlated with the effect of hypnosis intervention.
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