study to assess the effectiveness of yoga on stress level and quality of life of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

Background: Among cancer of different organs in the body, the carcinoma of the breast is highest in occurrence worldwide, after lung cancer. The treatment of cancer and cancer itself cause many side effects and complications, which affect the quality of life (QOL) and cause a considerable consequence on Health Related QOL (HR-QOL) in common. While going through cycles of chemotherapy, breast cancer patients experience many side effects such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, anemia, and alopecia. Supportive or complementary therapies such as yoga, are easy to administer, economical, and useful in reducing the adverse effects of cancer treatment and helpful in enhancing the quality of life of patients with cancer. newlineObjectives: To determine the effectiveness of yoga on the stress level and quality of life of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy newlineMaterials and Methods: Quantitative Research approach with Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial and Time series design was adopted in this study. The consecutive sampling technique was used to recruit 100 breast cancer patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria and undergoing chemotherapy in Cancer Research Institute, Swami Rama Himalayan University. The recruited patients were randomized to control (N=52) and experiment (N=48) group by concealed randomization. The informed written consent was taken from each participant. The baseline data was collected during first cycle of chemotherapy with Anxiety, Depression, Stress Scale and EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3) and BR23. The participants in experimental group were taught diaphragmatic breathing, systematic relaxation and alternate nostril breathing, joints and glands exercises of neck and shoulder. They were instructed to practice twice daily at home. They were supervised in practicing these when they were receiving second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth cycles of chemotherapy. The participants in the control group received routine care.