The effect of autogenic training on salivary immunoglobulin A in surgical patients with breast cancer: A randomized pilot trial

• Breast surgery patients were assigned to control or autogenic training (AT) groups.
• Salivary immunoglobulin A was higher in AT group patients on postoperative seventh day.
• Heart rate variability was also significantly higher.
• AT activates parasympathetic nervous system activity and may improve immune response.

Psychological stress among breast cancer patients can inhibit immune function and contribute to disease progression. We investigated the effects of autogenic training (AT), a relaxation method for reducing stress, on salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in breast cancer surgery patients. Thirty patients scheduled to undergo breast cancer surgery were randomly assigned to an AT or control group (usual care). Patients in the AT group underwent training for 7 days after surgery. Salivary IgA and heart rate variability were assessed on the day before surgery, and on the third and seventh postoperative days. Levels of sIgA were significantly higher on the seventh postoperative day in the AT group (n = 7) compared to the control group (n = 7) (p = 0.049). These findings suggest that AT may improve immune function in breast surgery patients.