Yoga Breathing for Fatigue in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Breast Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Pranayama (Yoga Breathing) Techniques

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00982748

Mt.Zion Healthfund 20070658

08803

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility and efficacy of yoga breathing techniques to manage fatigue and other cancer-related side effects, in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Full description

Fatigue is the most common complaint among cancer patients. This pilot study will evaluate the effects of pranayama (ancient yoga breathing techniques) on fatigue and quality of life among 30 patients undergoing chemotherapy, on an every 2, 3, or 4 week schedule, with a fatigue score of at least 4 on a scale of 0 (none) to 10 (most). Patients will be randomized to either pranayama or wait-list control. The pranayama group will learn and practice 3 breathing techniques on a daily basis. The study period will occur during 2 consecutive cycles of chemotherapy (cycle A and Cycle B), and the wait-list control patients will crossover to the treatment arm at the beginning of his/her Cycle B. Fatigue will be measured using the revised Piper Fatigue Scale along with quality of life measures. These study measures will be conducted at baseline, at the end of cycle A, and at the end of cycle B. We hypothesize that pranayama will improve clinical symptoms of fatigue and quality of life among patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Enrollment: 25 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• A diagnosis of cancer that requires at least 2 further cycles of chemotherapy on an every 14, 21, or 28 day schedule
• A score of at least 4/10 on a 0-10 (0-none, 10-most) visual analog scale for fatigue at the time of enrollment
• Able to read, write and understand English
• Karnofsky Performance Status greater than 60
• Ability to give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Severe COPD
• Receiving chronic oxygen therapy
• Congestive heart failure: NYHA class 3 or greater
• Transfusion dependent anemia
• Uncontrolled thyroid disease
• Advance kidney disease requiring dialysis
• Advance liver disease
• More than three previous chemotherapy regimens
• Current, ongoing yoga breathing practice

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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25 participants in 2 patient groups

Group B

Active Comparator group

Description:

Study participants in this arm attend yoga breathing classes once per week over the span of one chemotherapy cycle.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Pranayama (Yoga Breathing) Techniques

Group A

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this study arm attend weekly yoga breathing classes during two consecutive cycles of chemotherapy

Treatment:

Behavioral: Pranayama (Yoga Breathing) Techniques