Author: Rao RM1, Raghuram N2, Nagendra HR2, Usharani MR1, Gopinath KS3, Diwakar RB4, Patil S4, Bilimagga RS5, Rao N5.
Affiliation: 1Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. 2Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. 3Department of Surgical Oncology, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. 4Department of Medical Oncology, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. 5Department of Radiation Oncology, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Conference/Journal: Indian J Palliat Care.
Date published: 2015 May-Aug
Other:
Volume ID: 21 , Issue ID: 2 , Pages: 174-81 , Special Notes: doi: 10.4103/0973-1075.156486 , Word Count: 265
AIM:
To compare the effects of yoga program with supportive therapy on self-reported symptoms of depression in breast cancer patients undergoing conventional treatment.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Ninety-eight breast cancer patients with stage II and III disease from a cancer center were randomly assigned to receive yoga (n = 45) and supportive therapy (n = 53) over a 24-week period during which they underwent surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemotherapy (CT) or both. The study stoppage criteria was progressive disease rendering the patient bedridden or any physical musculoskeletal injury resulting from intervention or less than 60% attendance to yoga intervention. Subjects underwent yoga intervention for 60 min daily with control group undergoing supportive therapy during their hospital visits. Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and symptom checklist were assessed at baseline, after surgery, before, during, and after RT and six cycles of CT. We used analysis of covariance (intent-to-treat) to study the effects of intervention on depression scores and Pearson correlation analyses to evaluate the bivariate relationships.
RESULTS:
A total of 69 participants contributed data to the current analysis (yoga, n = 33, and controls, n = 36). There was 29% attrition in this study. The results suggest an overall decrease in self-reported depression with time in both the groups. There was a significant decrease in depression scores in the yoga group as compared to controls following surgery, RT, and CT (P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation (P < 0.001) between depression scores with symptom severity and distress during surgery, RT, and CT.
CONCLUSION:
The results suggest possible antidepressant effects with yoga intervention in breast cancer patients undergoing conventional treatment.
KEYWORDS:
Behavioral intervention; Cancer; Depression; Relaxation; Yoga
PMID: 26009671