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BACKGROUND: Many cancer patients suffer from symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Supportive treatments are increasingly used to alleviate distress in cancer. In this study, the effects of yoga on these symptoms are examined.METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled study on cancer patients with mixed diagnoses comparing yoga therapy with a waiting list control group. We measured anxiety symptoms with the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale, depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and fatigue with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Fatigue scale (EORTC QLQ-FA13). Yoga therapy was carried out in weekly sessions of 60 min each for 8 weeks. The program provided restrained body and breathing exercises as well as meditation. The control group did not receive any yoga therapy while on the waiting list.
RESULTS: A total of 70 subjects participated in the study. Anxiety was significantly reduced by the yoga therapy in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.005). However, yoga therapy did not show any significant effects on depression (p = 0.21) and fatigue (p = 0.11) compared to the control group.
CONCLUSION: Yoga therapy may be used to alleviate anxiety symptoms in cancer patients and should be the subject of further research.
Background: Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and cancer-related fatigue are commonly associated with cancer. Cancer patients increasingly use complementary and alternative treatments, such as yoga, to cope with psychological and physical impairments. In the present article, long-term changes of anxiety, depression, and fatigue in cancer are examined 6 months after a yoga intervention. Method: We used an observational design based on a randomized controlled study in cancer patients with mixed diagnoses to evaluate long-term changes of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue 6 months after the end of yoga therapy. We measured anxiety symptoms with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and fatigue with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Fatigue Scale (EORTC QLQ-FA13). Yoga therapy was provided in yoga classes of 60 minutes each once a week for 8 weeks in total. The exercises provided contained both body and breathing activities as well as meditation. Results: A total of 58 patients participated in the study. Six months after the end of yoga therapy, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue were significantly reduced compared with baseline. However, symptoms of anxiety and fatigue slightly increased during the follow-up period, whereas symptoms of depression remained stable. Conclusion: Our results are promising and support the integration of yoga interventions in supportive cancer treatment concepts but should be confirmed by randomized controlled trials. Long-term effects of yoga therapy on cancer patients should be the subject of further research.
Background: Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and cancer-related fatigue are commonly associated with cancer. Cancer patients increasingly use complementary and alternative treatments, such as yoga, to cope with psychological and physical impairments. In the present article, long-term changes of anxiety, depression, and fatigue in cancer are examined 6 months after a yoga intervention. Method: We used an observational design based on a randomized controlled study in cancer patients with mixed diagnoses to evaluate long-term changes of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue 6 months after the end of yoga therapy. We measured anxiety symptoms with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and fatigue with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Fatigue Scale (EORTC QLQ-FA13). Yoga therapy was provided in yoga classes of 60 minutes each once a week for 8 weeks in total. The exercises provided contained both body and breathing activities as well as meditation. Results: A total of 58 patients participated in the study. Six months after the end of yoga therapy, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue were significantly reduced compared with baseline. However, symptoms of anxiety and fatigue slightly increased during the follow-up period, whereas symptoms of depression remained stable. Conclusion: Our results are promising and support the integration of yoga interventions in supportive cancer treatment concepts but should be confirmed by randomized controlled trials. Long-term effects of yoga therapy on cancer patients should be the subject of further research.
Background: Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and cancer-related fatigue are commonly associated with cancer. Cancer patients increasingly use complementary and alternative treatments, such as yoga, to cope with psychological and physical impairments. In the present article, long-term changes of anxiety, depression, and fatigue in cancer are examined 6 months after a yoga intervention. Method: We used an observational design based on a randomized controlled study in cancer patients with mixed diagnoses to evaluate long-term changes of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue 6 months after the end of yoga therapy. We measured anxiety symptoms with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and fatigue with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Fatigue Scale (EORTC QLQ-FA13). Yoga therapy was provided in yoga classes of 60 minutes each once a week for 8 weeks in total. The exercises provided contained both body and breathing activities as well as meditation. Results: A total of 58 patients participated in the study. Six months after the end of yoga therapy, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue were significantly reduced compared with baseline. However, symptoms of anxiety and fatigue slightly increased during the follow-up period, whereas symptoms of depression remained stable. Conclusion: Our results are promising and support the integration of yoga interventions in supportive cancer treatment concepts but should be confirmed by randomized controlled trials. Long-term effects of yoga therapy on cancer patients should be the subject of further research.