According to an article published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology a couple of weeks ago, “Yoga is a time-honored mind-body practice that has been shown to improve both physical and psychological well-being” Lorenzo Cohen, PhD, and Santosshi Narayanan, MD, summarize the current evidence surrounding the use of yoga in oncology settings and highlight the need for increased efforts to make yoga available to more patients with cancer.
Its a well researched piece, worth checking out for its extensive list of references, and underscores the potential of yoga in cancer recovery and as an adjunct therapy. The authours make a strong case, noting that “Chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and multiple biologic processes, making our bodies more hospitable to cancer growth….
Extensive literature now exists to support the use of mind-body practices, including guided imagery, relaxation, hypnosis, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qigong, as well as expressive arts (eg, music therapy) to help reduce chronic stress.8 These modalities may help to decrease the biologic perturbations associated with chronic stress and may improve both the physical and mental health aspects before, during, and after treatment.
Yoga as a Treatment Approach—The Evidence
Extensive research now supports yoga’s benefits in improving overall health, quality of life, and physical function, as well as in reducing distress, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. A review of 29 clinical trials showed that low-intensity forms of yoga, specifically gentle Hatha and restorative yoga, are safe and effective for relieving sleep disruption, nausea, fatigue, pain, psychosocial distress, and musculoskeletal symptoms; they also may have a positive effect on cognitive impairment. In a multicenter, randomized trial involving cancer survivors with sleep disturbance, a combination Hatha/restorative yoga intervention was found to improve sleep quality.11 Research also shows that yoga’s benefits can translate into improved physiologic functioning, including better stress hormone regulation and enhanced immune function. Finally, caregivers may experience distress, and studies indicate that yoga helps their spiritual well-being, along with improving fatigue, sleep, anxiety, and depression in couple-based yoga programs.”
According to the joint Society for Integrative Oncology and ASCO guidelines for the use of integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment, yoga is recommended for reducing anxiety as well as for improving quality of life, mood, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and sleep. “Similarly, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN®) recommends patients “consider” yoga for improving some survivorship areas, such as distress, cognitive functioning, menopausal symptoms, and pain. Yoga is also formally listed in the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology as an effective intervention for cancer-related fatigue and anticipatory nausea/vomiting.“
The authors draw some important conclusions, noting: “Given the strong evidence to support yoga as an adjunct modality in managing cancer-related symptoms, it is incumbent on medical systems to offer this evidence-based treatment. Ideally, yoga instruction in an oncology setting is delivered by yoga therapists, instructors who have additional training to work with medical populations, and oncology experience.”
Its well worth checking out the article in full here
And we particular enjoyed the concluding remarks! “Greater dissemination and implementation efforts are needed to make yoga available to the broader community of individuals impacted by cancer. With the vast array of yoga/meditation practices to choose from, the ideal program is one that patients are willing to do regularly to create calm in their lives.”
The Minded Institute is offering two Yoga Therapy for Cancer Care courses in the next couple of months, an online CPD and shorter introduction, in July and September, booking here:
