Practical hypnotic interventions during invasive cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Novel advances in biotechnology and medical imaging techniques have enabled an evolution toward earlier diagnosis and treatment by way of "minimally invasive" surgical techniques performed on the conscious patient without the use of general anesthesia. Although the risks of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions have been reduced with these approaches, patients still face many physical and psychologic challenges. Several randomized controlled trials have shown that hypnotic techniques are effective in reducing pain, anxiety, and other symptoms; in reducing procedure time; and in stabilizing vital signs. The benefits of adjunctive hypnotic treatments come at no additional cost. Patients, health care providers, hospitals, and insurance companies are advised to take advantage of hypnotic techniques.

Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2008 Aug;22(4):709-25, ix. Flory N, Lang E. Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, One Deaconess Road, Boston, MA 02215, USA. nflory@bidmc.harvard.edu