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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00727662

A Yoga and Wellness Program for Breast Cancer Survivors With Persistent Fatigue

This randomized controlled trial will compare the effectiveness of an Iyengar Yoga intervention to a Wellness Seminar health education lecture series, for improvements in energy, mood and biological functioning in breast cancer survivors with persistent, post-treatment fatigue. It is anticipated that the Iyengar Yoga intervention will be feasible and acceptable to breast cancer survivors with minimal side effects and that the Yoga intervention will be effective in improving fatigue and physical performance.

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Key information

Conditions

Breast Cancer Breast Diseases Breast Neoplasms Fatigue Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Skin Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Age range

40 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of California, Cousins Center for PNI

Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States

About this study

Fatigue is the most common and distressing side effect of cancer treatment and persists beyond successful treatment completion in approximately 30% of breast cancer survivors, causing serious disruption in quality of life. Behavioral interventions incorporating physical activity or relaxation/stress management have demonstrated beneficial effects on cancer-related fatigue, although research in cancer survivors is limited. Mind-body interventions such as yoga are extremely popular among cancer patients and offer a promising alternative to traditional treatments. Research is needed to establish the feasibility and efficacy of these interventions in cancer populations, particularly those who are experiencing problems with fatigue.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with early, resectable breast cancer (Stage I or II)
  • Completed treatment with surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy between 6 months and 5 years previously
  • No other cancer in last 5 years, including breast cancer recurrence
  • Postmenopausal women
  • Age 40 - 65
  • Reporting persistent cancer-related fatigue

Exclusion criteria

  • Evidence that fatigue is directly related to a medical or psychiatric disorder (e.g., untreated hypothyroidism, diabetes, anemia (defined as hematocrit < 24), chronic fatigue syndrome, current major depression, insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome)
  • Evidence that fatigue is related to other non-cancer related factors (e.g., shift work, recent change in activity or schedule)
  • Physical problems or conditions that could make yoga unsafe (e.g., serious neck injuries, unstable joints; also severe cachexia, dizziness, bone pain, severe nausea, etc)
  • Regular use of medications and/or behavioral therapies that would confound evaluation of IY, including regular participation in yoga classes
  • Presence of medical conditions that involve the immune system and would confound immune evaluation (e.g., autoimmune disorder, inflammatory disease)
  • Use of medications that might confound immune evaluation (e.g., regular use of corticosteroids, narcotics, opiates)
  • Unable to commit to intervention schedule
  • Body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2
  • Regular tobacco (defined as daily or near daily) or alcohol use (defined as > 2 drinks/day)

Treatment and study plan

Iyengar Yoga

Other

The poses and breathing techniques to be used in this study are based on sequences developed by B.K.S. Iyengar for breast cancer survivors who suffer from fatigue. Women will start with simple versions of the poses and progress to more advanced versions over the course of the intervention.

Other names: Yoga

Wellness Seminar Series

Other

The Wellness Seminar Series consists of lectures on key topics, followed by group discussion. This series will focus entirely on cancer survivorship, including sessions on quality of life, side effects of cancer treatment, stress, nutrition and psychosocial issues.

Other names: Health education

Primary outcomes

  1. Fatigue

    Time frame: Measured at baseline, after the 12 week intervention and at 3 months post-intervention

Secondary outcomes

  1. Secondary outcomes include depressed mood, sleep disturbance, pain, quality of life, and proinflammatory cytokine activity

    Time frame: Measured at baseline, after the 12 week intervention and at 3 months post-intervention

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Nih

Registry information

Official study title

Iyengar Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors With Persistent Fatigue

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2010
Study completion
2010
First posted
Aug 4, 2008
Registry last updated
Apr 14, 2015

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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