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BACKGROUND: Sixty percent of cancer survivors are 65years of age or older. Cancer and its treatments lead to cancer-related fatigue and many other side effects, in turn, creating substantial global side-effect burden (total burden from all side effects) which, ultimately, compromises functional independence and quality of life. Various modes of exercise, such as yoga, reduce cancer-related fatigue and global side-effect burden in younger cancer survivors, but no studies have specifically examined the effects of yoga on older cancer survivors. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a 4-week yoga intervention (Yoga for Cancer Survivors: YOCAS(c)(R)) on overall cancer-related fatigue, and due to its multidimensional nature, the subdomains of cancer-related fatigue (general, physical, emotional, and mental) and global side-effect burden in older cancer survivors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis on data from a multicenter phase III randomized controlled clinical trial with 2 arms (standard care and standard care plus a 4-week YOCAS(c)(R) intervention). The sample for this secondary analysis was 97 older cancer survivors (>/=60years of age), between 2months and 2years post-treatment, who participated in the original trial. RESULTS: Participants in the YOCAS(c)(R) intervention arm reported significantly lower cancer-related fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and global side-effect burden than participants in the standard care arm following the 4-week intervention period (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: YOCAS(c)(R) is an effective standardized yoga intervention for reducing cancer-related fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and global side-effect burden among older cancer survivors.
BACKGROUND: Sixty percent of cancer survivors are 65years of age or older. Cancer and its treatments lead to cancer-related fatigue and many other side effects, in turn, creating substantial global side-effect burden (total burden from all side effects) which, ultimately, compromises functional independence and quality of life. Various modes of exercise, such as yoga, reduce cancer-related fatigue and global side-effect burden in younger cancer survivors, but no studies have specifically examined the effects of yoga on older cancer survivors. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a 4-week yoga intervention (Yoga for Cancer Survivors: YOCAS(c)(R)) on overall cancer-related fatigue, and due to its multidimensional nature, the subdomains of cancer-related fatigue (general, physical, emotional, and mental) and global side-effect burden in older cancer survivors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis on data from a multicenter phase III randomized controlled clinical trial with 2 arms (standard care and standard care plus a 4-week YOCAS(c)(R) intervention). The sample for this secondary analysis was 97 older cancer survivors (>/=60years of age), between 2months and 2years post-treatment, who participated in the original trial. RESULTS: Participants in the YOCAS(c)(R) intervention arm reported significantly lower cancer-related fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and global side-effect burden than participants in the standard care arm following the 4-week intervention period (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: YOCAS(c)(R) is an effective standardized yoga intervention for reducing cancer-related fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, and global side-effect burden among older cancer survivors.
UNLABELLED: Background Interventions are needed to alleviate memory difficulty in cancer survivors. We previously showed in a phase III randomized clinical trial that YOCAS(c)(R) yoga-a program that consists of breathing exercises, postures, and meditation-significantly improved sleep quality in cancer survivors. This study assessed the effects of YOCAS(c)(R) on memory and identified relationships between memory and sleep. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Survivors were randomized to standard care (SC) or SC with YOCAS(c)(R) . 328 participants who provided data on the memory difficulty item of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory are included. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. General linear modeling (GLM) determined the group effect of YOCAS(c)(R) on memory difficulty compared with SC. GLM also determined moderation of baseline memory difficulty on postintervention sleep and vice versa. Path modeling assessed the mediating effects of changes in memory difficulty on YOCAS(c)(R) changes in sleep and vice versa. RESULTS: YOCAS(c)(R) significantly reduced memory difficulty at postintervention compared with SC (mean change: yoga=-0.60; SC=-0.16; P<.05). Baseline memory difficulty did not moderate the effects of postintervention sleep quality in YOCAS(c)(R) compared with SC. Baseline sleep quality did moderate the effects of postintervention memory difficulty in YOCAS(c)(R) compared with SC (P<.05). Changes in sleep quality was a significant mediator of reduced memory difficulty in YOCAS(c)(R) compared with SC (P<.05); however, changes in memory difficulty did not significantly mediate improved sleep quality in YOCAS(c)(R) compared with SC. CONCLUSIONS: In this large nationwide trial, YOCAS(c)(R) yoga significantly reduced patient-reported memory difficulty in cancer survivors.