Can religion and spirituality help cure cancer?

Study finds link between religion and less physical symptoms.

Studies now propose that cancer patients who report more religiousness or spirituality may also experience less physical symptoms of cancer and treatment and are able to build more social connections.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - These new results sprung after researchers reviewed previous literature of spirituality involving more than 44,000 cancer patients. Despite the studies varying in different ways, religion and spirituality were associated with a better health, regardless of specific religion or set of spiritual beliefs.

"Patients should not be pressured into adopting religious or spiritual beliefs," Heather Jim of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, who led one of the new studies stated. "Although our data suggest that patients with greater religion/spirituality tend to have better perceived physical health, these are aggregate-level data."

According to patient reports, a sense of connection to a being more powerful or larger than oneself was linked with better physical function and in consequence, an experience of fewer, or less severe, symptoms of cancer or treatment. On the other hand, actual practices of religion, like church attendance or prayer was not related to physical health.

"Cancer patients who reported higher meaning, purpose, and spiritual connection in life also reported better physical health, as did patients who reported more positive religious or spiritual explanations for the cancer (versus a sense of fatalism or anger towards God)," Jim explained.

Religious people may engage in more healthy behaviors, such as avoiding vices like alcohol and drugs. They also receive social support provided from religious communities like, transportation to appointments, provision of meals and other basic needs. Jim stressed that spirituality may enhance positive emotions like comfort, for example, and reduce stress as well.

"Conversely, spiritual distress is associated with greater depression and decreased adherence to medical recommendations among cancer patients," Jim said. "However, we can't say for sure that religion/spirituality causes better perceived health."

Jim recommended that cancer treatment specialists note that patients who are experiencing spiritual suffering may benefit from talking with a member of their religious or spiritual community.

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