Researchers have found that qigong, an ancient Chinese mind-body
practice, improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast
cancer.
Researchers in the United States,
have found that qigong, an ancient Chinese mind-body practice, reduces
depressive symptoms and improves quality of life in women undergoing
radiotherapy for breast cancer.
The study, published in the
journal Cancer, is the first to examine qigong in patients actively
receiving radiation therapy and include a follow-up period to assess benefits
over time.
“We were also particularly
interested to see if qigong would benefit patients experiencing depressive
symptoms at the start of treatment,” said Lorenzo Cohen, professor in The
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Departments of General Oncology
and Behavioral Science and director of the Integrative Medicine Program.
“It is important for cancer
patients to manage stress because it can have a profoundly negative effect on
biological systems and inflammatory profiles.”
For the trial, Cohen and his
colleagues enrolled 96 women with stage 1-3 breast cancer from Fudan University
Shanghai Cancer Center in Shanghai, China. 49 patients were randomized to a
qigong group consisting of five 40-minute classes each week during their five-
to six-week course of radiation therapy, while 47 women comprised a wait list
control group receiving the standard of care.
The program incorporated a
modified version of Chinese medical qigong consisting of synchronizing one’s
breath with various exercises. As a practice, qigong dates back more than 4,000
years when it was used across Asia to support spiritual health and prevent disease.
Participants in both groups
completed assessments at the beginning, middle, and end of radiation therapy
and then one and three months later. Different aspects of quality of life were
measured including depressive symptoms, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and
overall quality of life.
Patients in the qigong group
reported a steady decline in depressive symptom scores beginning at the end of
radiation therapy with a mean score of 12.3, through the three month
post-radiation follow-up with a score of 9.5. No changes were noted in the
control group over time.
The study also found qigong was
especially helpful for women reporting high baseline depressive symptoms, Cohen
said.
“Women with high depressive
symptoms in the control group reported the worst levels of depressive symptoms,
fatigue, and overall quality of life that were significantly improved for the
women in the qigong group,” Cohen said.
As the benefits of qigong were
largely observed after treatment concluded, researchers suggest qigong may
prevent a delayed symptom burden, or that the benefits may take time to be
realized.
The authors note several
limitations to the study, including the absence of an active control group
making it difficult to rule out whether or not the effects of qigong were influenced
by a patient’s expectations or simply being a light exercise. Additionally, the
homogeneity of the group, Chinese women at a single site, limits the ability of
applying the results to other populations.
According to the authors, the
findings support other previously reported trials examining qigong benefits,
but are too preliminary to offer clinical recommendations.
The article can be found
at: Chen Z et al. (2013) Qigong
improves quality of life in women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer.
Source: MD
Anderson;
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