Research on the use of yoga for cancer as a complementary approach to standard of care


 

The diagnosis of cancer is a life-changing experience on many levels: physical, emotional, social and financial. Stress, uncertainty, fear and the challenges of navigating the medical system are all part of the reality of facing this diagnosis (1). Depending on the type of cancer and the stage at which it is diagnosed, the condition may cause new symptoms and may affect somebody’s ability to function.

  Being diagnosed and treated for cancer requires social support and a strategy to deal with stress.

How can yoga support patients through their treatment and after they complete it?

 Research has shown that yoga can be beneficial as a complementary therapy to support patients with cancer while they receive their treatment and after they complete it (2, 3).

 A study published in October 2020 by the Support Care Center examined the effects of weekly yoga sessions during eight weeks (2). Cancer patients were randomized to receive yoga (intervention group) or to not receive yoga (control group). 173 patients were recruited and they all had mild to severe fatigue. 84 patients were assigned to the yoga group and 88 patients were placed in the control group (no yoga).

 The yoga class was done weekly for 60 minutes and it involved physical postures, breathing techniques, meditation and relaxation. The primary outcome evaluated the self-reported fatigue symptoms. The secondary outcome focused on symptoms of depression and quality of life. All the participants (both groups) had to complete a questionnaire before the yoga sessions, and after completing the eight weeks of yoga. The control group completed the same questionnaire during the same timeframe to be compared with the group that received the yoga intervention.

 The results showed that yoga helped to improve general fatigue (P:0.033), physical fatigue ((P0.048) and symptoms of depression (P less than 0.001). The quality of life also improved for the group that received yoga (P:0.02). Women with breast cancer had a more prominent reduction of fatigue compared to participants with other types of cancer. No adverse effects were reported as a result of the intervention.

 A review article published in 2019 by the Cancer Journal explored the studies that had been done to assess the benefits of yoga in patients with various cancer diagnosis (3). The researchers found 29 randomized controlled trials. Thirteen were done during cancer treatment; 12 studies were done after treatment and four trials were done during and after treatment.

  The studies showed that the yoga was associated with improved quality of life while patients received treatment for cancer and also after they completed their treatment. Yoga as a mind body practice helped to relieve fatigue and stress; it decreased symptoms of depression and improved sleep and cognition. Another effect that was documented in some studies was the reduction of biomarkers of stress and inflammation.

 When it is done safely under adequate supervision by certfied yoga instructors or therapists, yoga can be offered as a strategy to support patients with cancer to improve their quality of life while they receive their standard treatment and after they complete it.

 

References:

1) 1)    https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/emotional-mood-changes.html

2)  2)   Zetzl T, Renner A, Pittig A, Jentschke E, Roch C, van Oorschot B. Yoga effectively reduces fatigue and symptoms of depression in patients with different types of cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2021 Jun;29(6):2973-2982. doi: 10.1007/s00520-020-05794-2. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33026490; PMCID: PMC8062403. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33026490/

3)     3)Danhauer SC, Addington EL, Cohen L, Sohl SJ, Van Puymbroeck M, Albinati NK, Culos-Reed SN. Yoga for symptom management in oncology: A review of the evidence base and future directions for research. Cancer. 2019 Jun 15;125(12):1979-1989. doi: 10.1002/cncr.31979. Epub 2019 Apr 1. PMID: 30933317; PMCID: PMC6541520.https

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6541520/

 

 

 

 

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