The Physical and Psychological Benefits of Yoga and Breast Cancer

October 24, 2013 updated by: Dr. Sarkis Meterissian

The Physical and Psychological Benefits of Yoga in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Feasibility Study

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer amongst Canadian women. Studies report that breast cancer patients are the most likely to use complementary medicine within the oncologic population. Yoga has become especially popular with this group as it promises to improve the mind, body and soul holistically. The investigators yoga program specifically focuses on rebuilding physical strength, increasing flexibility and reducing the pain and stress associated with the post-operative period. This study will examine how yoga can help improve the overall quality of life and its effects on the physical well-being of women with breast cancer. With positive statistical results, the investigators hope to implement yoga as part of their rehabilitation services at the Cedars Breast Clinic.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Proposed Intervention:

1-hour hatha yoga classes, once a week for a 12-week period. One class will be offered in French, another in English. The class will begin with approximately 10 minutes of pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation, followed by 30 minutes of yoga poses and ending with 10 minutes of sivasana (rest period.) The first couple of classes in the 12 week series will begin with restorative postures and will gradually progress to more gentle exercises. If health permits, the last couple of classes will involve some strengthening poses. A small portion of the class will work with the physical body in general and there will be a specific emphasis on the physical difficulties faced by most breast cancer patients, i.e. neck, chest, shoulders arms and hands.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

80

Phase

  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Quebec
      • Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1A4
        • Cedar's Breast Clinic, Royal Victoria Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Ages between 18-70
  • Stage I to II breast cancer
  • Minimum of 6 weeks Post Operative status

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous/Current psychiatric history
  • Concurrently involved in a yoga program
  • Inability to undergo yoga training secondary to physical/health limitations outlined by the treating team

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Yoga
Patients in this arm will receive yoga therapy
Other: Yoga
A 12 week yoga session will be offered to women with breast cancer.
Placebo Comparator: No yoga
Patients will not have yoga in this arm

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Range of motion of the shoulders
Time Frame: 12 weeks
The range of motion of the shoulders will be measured before and after the 12 week session and then compared.
12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Anxiety
Time Frame: 12 weeks
The participants will fill in questionnaires (HADS and the Distress Thermometer) before and after the 12 week session and the results will be compared.
12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Dr. Sarkis Meterissian

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2010

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 27, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 28, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

October 29, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

October 25, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 24, 2013

Last Verified

October 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 10-059-PSY

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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