Yoga in Adult Cancer: A Feasibility Trial

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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A feasibility study to determine the appropriateness of yoga intervention to improve health-related quality of life in adult cancer patients.

Detailed Description
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A prospective, mixed methods feasibility trial allocated participants to receive one of three yoga interventions over a four-week study period. Data collection was completed through online survey of QOL-CA/CS and customized surveys.

Official Title
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Yoga for Health-related Quality of Life in Adult Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial

Conditions
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Quality of Life

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Yoga


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Male and female adult cancer patients 19 years of age or older Patients receiving or planning to receive conventional treatment that includes at least one of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy or active surveillance within 28 days Patients in any stage of cancer diagnoses of all tumour types and locations Participants with internet access and willingness to participate in online communication Participants with access to transportation and personal willingness to attend meetings in central Vancouver, Canada. Participants fluent in the English language Exclusion Criteria: Patients with any physical limitation, risk of personal injury or under proscription of light to moderate physical activity Patients with pre or post surgical interventions were excluded due to potential physical limitations or safety concerns with wound healing Regular or experienced practitioners of yoga were excluded and defined as those patients reporting current or historical use of regular yoga (>2 session per month in past 12 months) Patients undergoing medical treatment for serious psychological disturbances that might have interfered with adherence to protocol and/or ability to provide informed consent were excluded (e.g. multiple personality disorders, severe depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 19 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Yoga Group A: Minimum Exposure<br>The minimum-exposure yoga package, this intervention included 45-minutes of contact time with a trained yoga professional. In Week 1, this session included a 30-minute introductory session focussing on pranayama (breathing techniques), as well as a brief introduction to available community-based and online yoga to encourage a safe home-based practice (15-minutes). Financial subsidy, compensation or special promotion of any particular yoga was not provided. Participants were invited to stay for a social discussion following the yoga class. | Other: Yoga<br>* A mind-body therapy that includes specified breathing, meditation and physical postures.<br>|
| Experimental: Yoga Group B: Medium Exposure<br>The medium-exposure yoga package, this intervention included the components of Group A, with an additional 30-minute orientation and safety training of how to practice yoga dhyana (meditation techniques) and asana (physical postures) in Week 1. Participants were then invited to stay and ask questions following the yoga class. A pre-paid online yoga membership to http://www.myyogaonline.com was offered for the duration of the study (Weeks 1 to 4). In addition to this, one 120-minute workshop to further develop yoga pranayama, dhyana and asana training was administered by an expert instructor during Week 2 or 3. | Other: Yoga<br>* A mind-body therapy that includes specified breathing, meditation and physical postures.<br>|
| Experimental: Yoga Group C: Maximum Exposure<br>The maximum-dose yoga package, this intervention includes the components of Group A, with the same 30-minute orientation and safety training of how to practice yoga dhyana (meditation techniques) and asana (physical postures) in Week 1. Participants were invited to stay and ask questions following the yoga class. As in Group B, a pre-paid online yoga membership to http://www.myyogaonline.com was also provided for the duration of the study (Weeks 1 to 4). Participants were then invited to attend three 60-minute yoga group classes led by an expert yoga instructor per week (Weeks 1 to 4). These yoga sessions were held in a clinical setting in proximity to their treatment location and delivered at no cost to the patient. | Other: Yoga<br>* A mind-body therapy that includes specified breathing, meditation and physical postures.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feasibility of Patient Recruitment to Yoga Intervention | Number of participants eligible for randomization to yoga intervention during cancer treatment | 10 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patient Adherence to Yoga Intervention | Number of participants who completed their yoga intervention | 6 weeks | 
| Patient Adherence Rate to Yoga Intervention | % of patients who completed their yoga intervention | 6 weeks |