Harder, Helena, Langridge, Carolyn, Solis-Trapala, Ivonne, Zammit, Charles, Mokshini, Grant, Rees, Diane, Burkinshaw, Lynn and Jenkins, Valerie (2015) Post-operative exercises after breast cancer surgery: results of a RCT evaluating standard care versus standard care plus additional yoga exercise. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 7 (3). pp. 202-210. ISSN 1876-3820

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Abstract

Introduction: There is a lack of standardisation in the guidelines for post-operative exercises following breast cancer surgery. Adherence to exercise programmes is low, and complementary therapies such as yoga often appeal to patients and may encourage practise. A step-by-step guide to yoga DVD was evaluated in addition to the standard care exercises (SC) compared to SC alone.
Methods: Women with early-stage breast cancer were randomised to SC plus or minus a yoga DVD for 10-weeks. Patient-reported outcomes were collected at baseline, 10 weeks and 6 months. The primary study-endpoint was the Trial Outcome Index (TOI) of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Breast; a recognised quality of life (QoL) tool with an arm morbidity subscale (FACT-B+4).
Results: 92/103 (89%) women were randomised to the study. The SC group reported practising post-operative exercises more often than the yoga DVD group. There was a 69% improvement from baseline in FACT-B+4 TOI, which included an arm subscale, at 10 weeks and 6 months in the SC group. This was 62% and 81% respectively for the yoga DVD group. Numbness in the affected arm was greater in the SC group (OR= 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.6) and in patients receiving chemotherapy (OR=2.17, 95% CI: 1, 4.6). Despite no group differences, 74% of women would definitely recommend following the yoga DVD after surgery.
Conclusions: Practising post-operative exercises does improve arm and shoulder morbidity following breast cancer surgery. The addition of a self-practise general yoga programme was well received and appeared to improve QoL at 6 months.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Breast cancer; yoga; patient reported outcomes; arm morbidity; randomised controlled trial
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Sussex Health Outcomes Research & Education in Cancer (SHORE-C)
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology Including cancer and carcinogens R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology Including cancer and carcinogens > RC0280 By region, system, or organ of the body, or type of tumor, A-Z > RC0280.B8 Breast. Mammary glands R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology > RM0930 Rehabilitation therapy
Depositing User:	Kathryn Monson
Date Deposited:	30 Apr 2015 10:26
Last Modified:	07 Mar 2017 06:08
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/53838

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