Since metastatic breast cancer is a terminal illness, it's important to develop effective treatments to reduce cancer-related symptoms during the remaining years of patients lives. Yoga has been effectively applied in the treatment of a range of chronic diseases. Now research reports that a yoga-based program reduced pain and fatigue and improved invigoration, acceptance and relaxation in women with metastatic breast cancer.
The study, published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, examined the effect of yoga on cancer-related symptoms in metastatic breast cancer patients. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina administered the Yoga of Awareness Program to 13 women with metastatic breast cancer, for eight weeks. The Yoga of Awareness Program included gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, meditation, presentations, and group discussions. The participants were assessed by daily measurements of fatigue, distress, invigoration, acceptance, and relaxation two weeks before the beginning of the study and the final two weeks of the study.
The researchers found that four participants had cancer recurrences during the study. Nonetheless, findings revealed that the participants demonstrated signficantly increased invigoration and acceptance. Furthermore, on the days after additional home practice the participants had even lower levels of pain and fatigue and higher levels of invigoration, acceptance, and relaxation
"These findings support the need for further investigation of the effects of the Yoga of Awareness Program in women with metastatic breast cancer," the study authors conclude.
REFERENCES:
1. Carson JW et al. Yoga for women with metastatic breast cancer: results from a pilot study. J Pain Symptom Manage 2007 Mar;33(3):331-41.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on March 30, 2007 02:50 PM
