Yoga Intervention for the Improvement of Cancer-Related Stress in Cancer Survivors

Influence of Yoga on Cancer-Related Stress in Cancer Survivors

This clinical trial develops and test a yoga intervention in improving cancer-related stress in cancer survivors. The online hatha yoga intervention of breathing and movement incorporates both restorative poses, breathing techniques, guided meditation and may reduce stress levels and improve overall quality of health in cancer survivors.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm; Malignant Solid Neoplasm
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment; Other: Survey Administration; Other: Yoga

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To develop and test the feasibility of a standardized 12-week online hatha yoga intervention (n=30) of breathing and movement incorporating both restorative poses, breathing techniques, guided meditation.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the yoga intervention in relation to self-reported levels of stress and quality of life in cancer survivors (n=30).

II. Feasibility of collecting blood and saliva at baseline and post-intervention for stress biomarkers, including cortisol and norepinephrine.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine how behavior change, quality of life (QoL), and biomarkers of adrenergic stress, inflammation, and immunosuppression are affected by a 12-week online yoga program completed by cancer survivors.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive online yoga intervention once a week (QW) for 12 weeks.

After completion of study, patients are followed up at 3 months.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 27
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • Buffalo, New York, United States, 14263
      • Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age >= 18 years of age
• Have been diagnosed with a cancer and have finished treatment
• Have been cleared for physical activity by a physician or nurse practitioner (physician or nurse practitioner name and date clearance received)
• Participant must understand the investigational nature of this study and sign an Independent Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board approved written informed consent form prior to receiving any study related procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unwilling or unable to complete the assessment in English
• Are pregnant or nursing
• Are unwilling or unable to follow protocol requirements
• Have skeletal instabilities and/or cardio-pulmonary comorbidities
• Have any condition which in the investigator's opinion deems the subject an unsuitable candidate to participate in this study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Supportive care (yoga); Patients receive online yoga intervention QW for 12 weeks.	Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment; Ancillary studies; Other Names: Quality of Life Assessment; Other: Survey Administration; Ancillary studies; Other: Yoga; Receive yoga intervention; Other Names: Yoga Therapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Proportion of subjects who participate or show high adherence to the intervention	Will be presented as observed proportion and 95% Clopper-Pearson confidence intervals (CIs).	Up to 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Efficacy of the intervention in stress-reduction	Serum cortisol and norepinephrine levels will be measured by blood collection	Up to 3 months post-intervention
Efficacy of the intervention in stress-reduction	Self report stress	Up to 3 months post intervention
Efficacy of the intervention in stress reduction	salivary cortisol will be measured by saliva collection	Up to 3 months post intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Quality of life	Quality of life collected by the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire	Up to 3 months post-intervention
Change in Cognitive function	Cognitive function will be assessed by standard questionnaires	Up to 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Roswell Park Cancer Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kathryn Glaser, Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 11, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 22, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): June 18, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): February 15, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 22, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 17, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: I 891720 (Other Identifier: Roswell Park Cancer Institute); NCI-2021-00698 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

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