Iyengar Yoga for Chemotherapy-induced Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients

Iyengar Yoga for Chemotherapy-induced Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women and is associated with profound restrictions of health-related quality of life and psychosocial health. More than three-quarters of women with breast cancer suffer from fatigue during cancer treatment. While exercise interventions can improve fatigue in breast cancer patients, many patients request complementary treatment approaches. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of yoga in women with breast cancer compared to aerobic exercise and usual care.

It is hypothesized that yoga is more effective than usual care and equally effective as aerobic exercise.

Inclusion Criteria:

• non-metastatic invasive breast cancer
• currently receiving adjuvant chemotherapy
• moderate to severe chemotherapy-induced fatigue
• physical and cognitive capacity to participate in yoga or walking

Exclusion Criteria:

• diagnosed and pharmacologically treated psychiatric disorder except depressive adaptation disorder as a reaction to cancer diagnosis
• ECOG status > 1
• prior malignancy with a disease-free survival < 10 years except curatively treated basalioma of the skin and carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• prior ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) ot the breast
• pregnancy or breastfeeding
• regular practice of yoga or walking during the past 12 months