THE EFFECT OF YOGA PROGRAM ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Breast cancer is one of the problems in Iranian women that is increasing, and it
affects all cases in different degrees. This study investigated the effects of short-term yoga program
on the quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at a cancer treatment center.
Materials & Methods: This study was a clinical trial in two stages, before and after the intervention.
40 female patients were studied in chemotherapy ward at Seyed-Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan. Yoga
sessions were run for 8 weeks in 75-minute sessions every other day of the week. The data collection
instrument was demographic as well as a questionnaire containing health and quality of life questions
designed by Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Europe (EORTC QLQ-C30) and a
standard questionnaire specifically to assess quality of life in breast cancer (EORTC QLQ-BR23)
completed on a face to face interview by an oncologist within 3 months from the beginning of June to
the end of August 2011.
Results: Before the intervention the mean global quality of life scores in the yoga group was 49.6 with
a standard deviation of 1.3, and after the intervention, the score was 1.34 ± 81.7. Eight weeks after the
yoga program, all measures of function increased in the experimental group than the control group.
These changes were significant as the following: cognitive performance scale (p=0.033), symptoms of
fatigue (p=0.009), nausea and vomiting (p=0.039), sleep (p=0.001), and the side effects of treatment
(p=0.030). In general, experimental group showed a significant improvement.
Conclusion: The results demonstrated the potential role of yoga on the quality of life. So the yoga
program can be used as an effective, convenient and low cost way to improve the quality of life of
patients in the medical centers