A recent clinical trial has found that yoga can significantly reduce emotional distress, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia among cancer survivors. This study, the first of its kind, highlighted the potential of gentle hatha and restorative yoga as a non-pharmaceutical approach to managing these side effects of cancer treatment.
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Globally, hundreds of millions of people are living with cancer, and advancements in treatments have led to more patients surviving the disease. However, many continue to suffer from physical and mental side effects long after treatment. Research indicates that up to 95% of cancer survivors experience insomnia or sleep disturbances, with over half reporting mood disturbances, anxiety, or fatigue.
The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. The trial involved 410 cancer survivors in the United States, with an average age of 54, the majority diagnosed with breast cancer. None of the participants had engaged in yoga for the previous three months, and their cancers were non-metastatic.
Participants were divided into two groups: 204 received standard survivorship care, which usually includes maintenance therapy and monitoring for side effects, while 206 participants received standard care in addition to a Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program. This four-week initiative incorporated 18 gentle yoga poses, breathing exercises, and mindfulness techniques to alleviate symptoms.
The program included two 75-minute instructor-led classes and encouraged at least 30 minutes of home practice each week. Assessments using questionnaires measured participants' mood, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia throughout the trial, which was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Results indicated that those in the yoga group experienced significantly lower overall mood disturbance, a moderate-to-large effect size, alongside decreased anxiety and fatigue, with small-to-medium and medium-to-large effects, respectively. Yuri Choi, the study's lead author and a research assistant professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center, noted the lack of a standardized behavioral treatment for these issues in cancer survivors.
Dr. Fumiko Chino, a cancer researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Center and an ASCO expert, emphasized the importance of this large randomized study. She stated that it demonstrates how structured yoga can help alleviate critical issues in cancer survivorship, including insomnia, offering survivors a non-pharmaceutical option for managing multiple side effects.