Influence of yoga on mood states, distress, quality of life and immune outcomes in early stage breast cancer patients undergoing surgery
2008

Yoga's Impact on Breast Cancer Patients' Well-Being

Sample size: 69 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Rao Raghavendra M, Nagendra H R, Raghuram Nagarathna, Vinay C Chandrashekara, Gopinath K S, Srinath B S

Primary Institution: Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Bangalore, India

Hypothesis

Yoga interventions would help reduce psychological distress and improve anti-tumor immune responses in breast cancer patients following surgery.

Conclusion

Yoga may help reduce postoperative distress and prevent immune suppression in breast cancer patients undergoing surgery.

Supporting Evidence

  • Yoga significantly decreased anxiety and depression in patients post-surgery.
  • Patients in the yoga group reported improved quality of life compared to controls.
  • Lower levels of serum IgA were observed in the yoga group postoperatively.
  • Yoga helped maintain higher CD56% counts compared to the control group.

Takeaway

Yoga can make people feel better and help their bodies fight cancer after surgery.

Methodology

A randomized controlled trial comparing yoga intervention with supportive therapy plus exercise rehabilitation in breast cancer patients.

Potential Biases

Participants seeking psychosocial interventions may differ from those who do not, potentially affecting outcomes.

Limitations

The study only assessed NK cell number and T lymphocyte subsets, not their function, and the generalizability of findings may be limited.

Participant Demographics

Women aged 30 to 70, recently diagnosed with operable stage II and III breast cancer.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.004

Confidence Interval

95% CI (-5.6 to -0.3)

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.4103/0973-6131.36789

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