Yoga improves breast cancer patients’ quality of life
Yogic breathing, postures, meditation and relaxation techniques that are part of a regular yoga practice helps breast cancer patients with improved physical functioning, better general health, and lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels. The women are also better able to find meaning in their cancer experience.
The MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas provided findings on 163 women with breast cancer as part of a study to assess the benefits of yoga vs. simple stretching exercises. The study is part of an ongoing effort to scientifically validate the age-old belief that mind-body interventions have a beneficial impact on the health of cancer patients. The research was conducted in collaboration with India’s largest yoga research institution, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana in Bangalore, India.
In the study of 163 breast cancer patients, those who completed radiation treatment and participated in the yoga and stretching groups were the only women to report a reduction in fatigue. They also had the steepest decline in their cortisol levels throughout the day. This is one of the more important findings, since higher stress hormone levels across the day, known as a blunted circadian cortisol rhythm, have been linked to worse outcomes in breast cancer.
According to Lorenzo Cohen, PhD, professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson, developing a yoga practice also helps patients after completing cancer treatment. “The transition from active therapy back to everyday life can be very stressful as patients no longer receive the same level of medical care and attention. Teaching patients a mind-body technique like yoga as a coping skill can make the transition less difficult.”
