Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Nov;27(11):4307-4316.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-019-04710-7. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Feasibility of a mindful yoga program for women with metastatic breast cancer: results of a randomized pilot study

Laura S Porter  1 , James W Carson  2 , Maren Olsen  3 , Kimberly M Carson  2 , Linda Sanders  4 , Lee Jones  5   6 , Kelly Westbrook  6 , Francis J Keefe  7
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Feasibility of a mindful yoga program for women with metastatic breast cancer: results of a randomized pilot study

Laura S Porter et al. Support Care Cancer. 2019 Nov.

Abstract

Purpose: Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) experience high levels of symptoms. Yoga interventions have shown promise for improving cancer symptoms but have rarely been tested in patients with advanced disease. This study examined the acceptability of a comprehensive yoga program for MBC and the feasibility of conducting a randomized trial testing the intervention.

Methods: Sixty-three women with MBC were randomized with a 2:1 allocation to yoga or a support group comparison condition. Both interventions involved eight weekly group sessions. Feasibility was quantified using rates of accrual, attrition, and session attendance. Acceptability was assessed with a standardized self-report measure. Pain, fatigue, sleep quality, psychological distress, mindfulness, and functional capacity were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 and 6 months post-intervention.

Results: We met goals for accrual and retention, with 50% of eligible patients enrolled and 87% of randomized participants completing post-intervention surveys. Sixty-five percent of women in the yoga condition and 90% in the support group attended ≥ 4 sessions. Eighty percent of participants in the yoga condition and 65% in the support group indicated that they were highly satisfied with the intervention. Following treatment, women in the yoga intervention had modest improvements in some outcomes; however, overall symptom levels were low for women in both conditions.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that the yoga intervention content was highly acceptable to patients with MBC, but that there are challenges to implementing an intervention involving eight group-based in-person sessions. Alternative modes of delivery may be necessary to reach patients most in need of intervention.

Keywords: Metastatic breast cancer; Randomized trial; Symptom management; Yoga.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study Consort Diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Mariotto AB, Etzioni R, Hurlbert M, Penberthy L, Mayer M (2017) Estimation of the number of women living with metastatic breast cancer in the United States. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prev. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0889 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Irvin WJ, Muss H, Mayer D (2011) Symptom management in metastatic breast cancer. Oncologist 16 (9):1203–1214 - PMC - PubMed
    1. [September 23, 2016]; Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine Yoga and Cancer. https://cam.cancer.gov/health_information/highlights/yoga_cancer_highlig.... Accessed.
    1. Harder H, Parlour L, Jenkins V (2012) Randomised controlled trials of yoga interventions for women with breast cancer: a systematic literature review. Supportive Care in Cancer 20(12):3055–3064. doi:DOI 10.1007/s00520-012-1611-8 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Buffart LM, van Uffelen JGZ, Riphagen II, Brug J, van Mechelen W, Brown WJ, Chinapaw MJM (2012) Physical and psychosocial benefits of yoga in cancer patients and survivors, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Cancer 12 (559) - PMC - PubMed

Publication types