A self‐directed home yoga programme for women with breast cancer during chemotherapy: A feasibility study

Abstract

A self-directed home yoga programme for women with breast cancer during chemotherapy: A feasibility study Recent studies suggest yoga as a promising approach for improving the cognitive function of cancer survivors. We studied whether a self-directed home yoga programme was feasible for patients with breast cancer who were undergoing chemotherapy. Participants' preferences for the type of yoga course and the clinical effects of the programme were also assessed.In this study, 18 women (mean age, 43.9 years) were enrolled (44.7% recruitment rate). Of the participants, 63.6% had stage II cancer and 71.4% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Favourable retention (86%), adherence (94.4%) and acceptability (96.5%) rates were determined. Most (94.4%) of the women practiced the home programme more than twice a week on average. The participants preferred to gradually increase the intensity of the exercises.We only observed improvements in the cognitive aspects of fatigue. No serious adverse events were encountered during the programme. This self-directed home yoga programme was safe and feasible for patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Exercise as an Intervention to Mitigate Decreased Cognitive Function From Cancer and Cancer Treatment

“…53 Twelve of the studies were designed to measure cognitive function as a primary endpoint. 28,30,31,34,39,40,43,45,46,50,51,53,54 Nine studies included objective measures of cognitive function, 31,36,37,39,40,46,47,51,53 twenty-one included subjective measures of cognitive function, 27–31,33,35–38,41–45,47–50,52–55 and four studies included both objective and subjective cognitive function measures. 36,37,47,53 Sample sizes ranged from as few as 4 (for the case series) to 658.…”

“…51 Less research has been conducted in the arena of mindfulness-based exercise (n=8). Most of the mindfulness-based exercise studies have involved the investigation of yoga (n=6) 27,28,30,38,43,53 as compared to tai chi (n=1) 47 and qigong (n=1). 56 Significant variation was noted for the specific instruments used and the cognitive domains assessed across studies.…”

Improvement of well-being in cancer patients by yoga training

“…Long-term effects 35 need to be more intensively investigated in future studies, and should also include both repetitive training periods and longterm supervision versus self-guided continuation of these exercises. Furthermore, various ways to offer yoga training were discussed, such as supervised group training as in our study, homebased efforts, 36 or electronic support. 37 The investigation of supportive treatment modalities at the end of or after cancer-specific treatment always interferes with regular convalescence, which is independent of interventions.…”

Home-Based yoga program for the patients suffering from malignant lymphoma during chemotherapy: A feasibility study

“…The feasibility criteria were taken from a yoga feasibility study done in Japan among breast cancer patients. [ 4 ] It included recruitment, retention, and acceptability rates which were defined as:…”