Research on yoga and cancer related fatigue
Yoga has a solid effect on cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer: a meta-analysis
Results
A total of 17 qualified studies that included 2183 patients (yoga: 1112, control: 1071) were included in the meta-analysis. Yoga had a large effect on fatigue in post-treatment breast cancer patients and had a small effect on intra-treatment patients. The meta-analysis also indicated that supervised yoga class had a significant effect on CRF; the six-week program had a moderate beneficial effect while the 60/90 min/session supervised yoga class and the eight-week program demonstrated a large effect on fatigue in patients with breast cancer. Yoga could markedly mitigate the physical fatigue in breast cancer patients, had a medium impact on cognitive fatigue, and manifested a small effect on mental fatigue. Eight studies reported the adverse events, whereas ten studies did not.
2019 Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10549-019-05278-w#Abs1
Influence of Yoga on Cancer-Related Fatigue and on Mediational Relationships Between Changes in Sleep and Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Nationwide, Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Yoga in Cancer Survivors
Abstract
Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) often co-occurs with sleep disturbance and is one of the most pervasive toxicities resulting from cancer and its treatment. We and other investigators have previously reported that yoga therapy can improve sleep quality in cancer patients and survivors. No nationwide multicenter phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) has investigated whether yoga therapy improves CRF or whether improvements in sleep mediate the effect of yoga on CRF. We examined the effect of a standardized, 4-week, yoga therapy program (Yoga for Cancer Survivors [YOCAS©®]) on CRF and whether YOCAS©®-induced changes in sleep mediated changes in CRF among survivors.
Study Design and Methods: Four hundred and ten cancer survivors were recruited to a nationwide multicenter phase III RCT comparing the effect of YOCAS©® to standard survivorship care on CRF and examining the mediating effects of changes in sleep, stemming from yoga, on changes in CRF. CRF was assessed by the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory. Sleep was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Between- and within-group intervention effects on CRF were assessed by analysis of covariance and 2-tailed t test, respectively. Path analysis was used to evaluate mediation. Results: YOCAS©® participants demonstrated significantly greater improvements in CRF compared with participants in standard survivorship care at post-intervention (P < .01). Improvements in overall sleep quality and reductions in daytime dysfunction (eg, excessive napping) resulting from yoga significantly mediated the effect of yoga on CRF (22% and 37%, respectively, both P < .01).
Conclusions: YOCAS©® is effective for treating CRF among cancer survivors; 22% to 37% of the improvements in CRF from yoga therapy result from improvements in sleep quality and daytime dysfunction. Oncologists should consider prescribing yoga to cancer survivors for treating CRF and sleep disturbance.
Integrative Cancer Therapeutics 2019 doi:10.1177/1534735419855134
The Impact of Yoga on Fatigue in Cancer Survivorship: A Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Background
Mind-body approaches, particularly yoga, are used by cancer survivors to cope with treatment-related symptoms. Consistency of yoga-related effects on treatment-related symptoms are not known. This meta-analysis was designed to examine effects of yoga on pre- to postintervention improvements in fatigue among cancer patients.
Methods
PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for peer-reviewed articles of yoga randomized controlled trials including cancer survivors and reporting at least one fatigue measure. Twenty-nine studies met inclusion criteria (n = 1828 patients). Effect sizes (Hedge’s g) were calculated for fatigue, depression, and quality of life. Patient-related and intervention-related characteristics were tested as moderators of outcomes. All statistical tests were two-sided.
Results
Yoga practice was associated with a small, statistically significant decrease in fatigue (g = 0.45, P = .013). Yoga type was a statistically significant moderator of this relationship (P = .02). Yoga was associated with a moderate decrease in depression (g = 0.72, P = .007) but was not associated with statistically significant changes in quality of life (P = .48). Session length was a statistically significant moderator of the relationship between yoga and depression (P = .004). Neither timing of treatment (during treatment vs posttreatment) nor clinical characteristics were statistically significant moderators of the effects of yoga on outcomes. The effect of yoga on fatigue and depression was larger when the comparator was a “waitlist” or “usual care” than when the control group was another active treatment (P = .036).
Conclusions
Results suggest yoga may be beneficial as a component of treatment for both fatigue and depression in cancer survivors.
JNCI Cancer Spectrum 2019 https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkz098
Effects of Yoga on Cancer-Related Fatigue, Psychological Distress, and Quality of Life Among Patients With Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy and/or Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Abstract
Background
Yoga can be considered supportive therapy for patients with cancer to alleviate cancer-related symptoms. However, there has been no meta-analysis examining yoga’s effects among patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
Objective
To synthesize the evidence regarding the effects of yoga on improving cancer-related fatigue, psychological distress, and quality of life among patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
Methods
Ten English databases and 2 Chinese databases were searched from inception to December 2022. Two independent reviewers screened studies and extracted the data. Randomized controlled trials examining the effects of yoga on cancer-related fatigue, psychological distress, and quality of life were included. Meta-analysis was conducted, and narrative synthesis was performed when meta-analysis was not applicable.
Results
Fourteen studies from 16 articles were included. The results showed that yoga reduced cancer-related fatigue (standardized mean difference [SMD], −0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.12 to −0.38; P < .001), anxiety (SMD, −0.91; 95% CI, −1.68 to −0.14; P = .02), but not depression (SMD, −0.82; 95% CI, −1.67 to 0.04; P = .06). The effects of yoga on distress and quality of life were inconclusive.
Conclusions
Yoga significantly helped reduce cancer-related fatigue and anxiety but did not reduce depression among patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Further rigorous studies are needed to identify the optimal characteristics of yoga for these patients.
Cancer Nursing 2023 DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001293
