Moadel, A. B., Shah, C., Wylie-Rosett, J., Harris, M. S., Patel, S. R., Hall, C. B., . . . Sparano, J. A. (2007). Randomized controlled trial of yoga among a multiethnic sample of breast cancer patients: effects on quality of life. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 25, 4387–4395.
Random assignment occurred in a 2:1 ratio to the intervention group or control group after stratification by treatment (chemotherapy or antiestrogen therapy). The yoga intervention consisted of twelve 1.5-hour weekly classes held at three locations within the cancer center. Participants were permitted to attend more than one class per week, with such activity documented. The yoga intervention was developed for use with patients with breast cancer by one of the study authors who was an oncologist and a certified yoga instructor. The intervention was based on Hatha yoga stretches and poses, breathing exercises, and meditation. All exercises were performed in a seated or reclined position. Patients were asked to practice yoga at home daily and were given an audiotape/CD for guidance in their home practice.
Patients were undergoing the active treatment phase of care.
The study used a randomized, wait-list control design.
Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F)
No significant difference was found in fatigue change scores from baseline to three-month follow-up between the intervention and wait-list control groups. Both groups were significantly fatigued compared with normative values for the FACIT-F. Subanalysis of the change scores only among the subgroup of patients not on chemotherapy (n = 71) also failed to demonstrate an effect of the yoga intervention on fatigue. However, adherence analysis suggested that participants in the intervention group who were highly adherent with the yoga intervention had significantly improved in fatigue compared with those in the intervention group who were less adherent with the yoga intervention. The primary reason for attrition was lost to follow-up (15%), with attrition similar between the intervention (22%) and control (21%) groups. Those who dropped out were significantly more likely to be younger.