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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01901237

Yoga for Adolescent and Young Adult Non-Curative Cancer Patients

Adolescents and young adults who are living with cancer are not benefiting from the same age-appropriate physical and psychosocial care, as are children and older adults. As a result, their unique needs often go unmet or unaddressed. Studies have demonstrated that a lack of age-appropriate care may be responsible for a deceased quality of life. Studies have also shown that physical activity is able to reduce many of the negative side-effects linked to cancer and its treatment (e.g., nausea, vomiting, fatigue). A light form of physical activity that is both safe and manageable for cancer patients is yoga. The purpose of this study is to examine the achievability and safety of a light 7-week home/hospice-based Hatha yoga program (available on DVD) in the adolescent and young adult non-curative cancer population. This study will also examine the ability of yoga to reduce cancer related side effects.

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Key information

Conditions

Advanced Cancer Behavior Death Fatigue Motor Activity Neoplasms Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

15 year–39 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with a non-curative cancer and assigned to non-curative or palliative care
  • Between 15-39 years of age
  • Have primary physician/oncologist consent to participate

Exclusion criteria

  • Experience any medical conditions that contraindicate yoga (e.g., bone metastases)
  • Exhibit cognitive limitations (e.g., psychiatric disorders)
  • Score below 30% on Palliative Performance Status Scale

Treatment and study plan

Hatha yoga

Behavioral

This is a 7-week home/hospice-based instructive Hatha yoga program (available on DVD) for adolescent and young adults diagnosed with a non-curative cancer. Participants will be asked to complete a minimum of one, 75-minute yoga session per week. The DVD package includes four discs that increase in difficulty over the course of the 7-week program. The DVD focuses on postures and breathing exercises. Participants will be asked to keep track of the number and duration of yoga sessions completed over the 7-week period.

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility: Recruitment

    Time frame: Final: end of week 7

    Recruitment will be calculated by the number of patients who consent to participate, divided by the number of eligible participants recommended by the primary oncologist/physician.

  2. Feasibility: Retention

    Time frame: Final: end of week 7

    Retention: Will be determined by reporting the number of participants who complete the baseline and post-program questionnaire and follow-up testing.

  3. Feasibility: Adherence

    Time frame: Final: end of week 7

    Adherence: Participants will be asked to record the number of yoga sessions performed each week. Overall adherence will be calculated by summing the actual number of sessions the participant engaged in, divided by the recommended number of sessions.

  4. Safety

    Time frame: Final: end of week 7

    Safety: Any adverse events reported by the participant will be recorded.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in Quality of Life

    Time frame: Baseline: week 1; Final: week 7

    Participants will be asked to complete the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Palliative Care subscale (FACIT-Pal) and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being subscale (FACIT-Sp) at baseline and post-intervention.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Rob Rutledge

Other

Collaborators

  • Dalhousie University
  • IWK Health Centre
  • Nova Scotia Health Authority

Registry information

Official study title

Impact of Yoga on Quality of Life for Adolescent and Young Adult Non-Curative Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2017
First posted
Jul 17, 2013
Registry last updated
Jul 13, 2017

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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