Yoga intervention and reminder e-mails for reducing cancer-related fatigue - a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Almost 90% of cancer patients suffer from symptoms of fatigue during treatment. Supporting treatments are increasingly used to alleviate the burden of fatigue. This study examines the short-term and long-term effects of yoga on fatigue and the effect of weekly reminder e-mails on exercise frequency and fatigue symptoms.

Methods: The aim of the first part of the study will evaluate the effectiveness of yoga for cancer patients with mixed diagnoses reporting fatigue. We will randomly allocate 128 patients to an intervention group (N = 64) receiving yoga and a wait-list control group (N = 64) receiving yoga 9 weeks later. The yoga therapy will be performed in weekly sessions of 60 min each for 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be self-reported fatigue symptoms. In the second part of the study, the effectiveness of reminder e-mails with regard to the exercise frequency and self-reported fatigue symptoms will be evaluated. A randomized allocated group of the participants ("email") receives weekly reminder e-mails, the other group does not. Data will be assessed using questionnaires the beginning and after yoga therapy as well as after 6 months.

Discussion: Support of patients suffering from fatigue is an important goal in cancer patients care. If yoga therapy will reduce fatigue, this type of therapy may be introduced into routine practice. If the reminder e-mails prove to be helpful, new offers for patients may also develop from this.

Trial registration: German Clincial Trials Register ( DRKS00016034 , 12/2018), retrospectively registered.

Keywords: Cancer; Fatigue; Randomized controlled trial; Reminder e-mails; Supportive therapy; Yoga.

Fig. 1

Study design; Abbreviations: IOT = interdisciplinary oncological therapy outpatient clinic; RAD = radiation therapy ambulance; R = Randomization; IG = Intervention group, CG = Control group TAU = treatment as usual