Pre-Operative Guided Meditation to Reduce Pre-Operative Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Cancer-Directed Surgery

This clinical trial tests how well guided meditation, compared to silence, works to reduce pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing cancer-directed surgery. Pre-operative anxiety affects patient experience and has been found to be a predictor of severe post-operative pain and chronic pain after surgery, influencing the success and quality of a patient's recovery. While medication is often prescribed to improve anxiety symptoms, research has showed that mindfulness techniques can be used to decrease anxiety, improve comfort, and can impact both psychological and physiologic symptoms. Completing pre-operative guided meditation may work well to reduce pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing cancer directive surgery.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To improve is pre-operative patient anxiety in surgical settings. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Patients listen to 10 minutes of guided meditation prior to surgery. ARM II: Patients wear noise cancelling headphones for 10 minutes prior to surgery. After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up for up to 6 months.