VSMART (Video-Conference Stress Management and Relaxation Training for Older Women With Breast Cancer)

Inclusion criteria

• Must meet the criterion of a score of >14 on the Impact of Event Scale-Intrusion scale (IES-I48) for cancer-specific distress or self-report at least moderate distress (score of 4 or greater) on a screening question, "How would you rate your distress level, over the past week, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning no distress and 10 being extreme distress"
• No prior history of cancer (with the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer)
• Life expectancy of > 12 months.
• No diagnosis of major psychiatric condition or mental disorder (i.e. schizophrenia, psychosis, and/or bipolar disorder) or active (in the past 12 months) Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), panic disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis or history of suicide thoughts, attempts or plans.
• No substance dependency in the past 12 months.
• No acute or chronic co-morbid medical condition with known effects on the immune system (e.g., HIV infection, autoimmune diseases)
• No prior neo-adjuvant therapy
• No current medications that act as direct immunomodulators (e.g., Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF), interferons)
• No significant cognitive impairment, must score <31 on the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS)49.
• At least a 6th grade reading level in English and be available for follow-up
• Women age 50 and older diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer.

Exclusion criteria

• Does not meet all Inclusion Criteria.