Yoga + Cancer: Effects on Quality of Life

Research summary prepared by Kelly McGonigal, PhD, Yoga Bear Advisor, health psychologist and yoga teacher at Stanford University.

Yoga is commonly praised for reducing stress through relaxation, but a recent study suggests that it offers another key stress-reducing benefit: social connection. The finding comes from a study of the psychological and physical benefits of yoga for breast cancer patients, conducted by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the Montefiore Medical Center, Columbia University, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. 128 women with breast cancer were randomly assigned to either a 12-week yoga program or a wait-list control group.

The yoga program included a weekly 90-minute class that consisted of asana (poses), pranayama (breathing), and meditation. The asana practice was relatively gentle, focusing on seated and reclining poses. Participants were encouraged to practice at home and given audio instructions for support.

Researchers measured participants’ subjective well-being in many areas (physical, social, emotional, and spiritual) before and after the 12-week study period. The main benefit of the yoga practice was preventing a decline in social well-being; the control group showed a significant decrease, but the yoga group did not.

However, only 48% of participants were undergoing chemotherapy treatment during the study. Researchers decided to do a second round of analyses, looking at the treatment and no-treatment participants separately. For individuals who were not undergoing chemotherapy, the yoga intervention made a significant difference in not just social well-being, but also emotional and spiritual well-being. Higher attendance rate at the classes was associated with greater improvements in emotional well-being and energy levels. Authors speculate that the participants in chemotherapy may not have shown the same global effects because they began the study in less stable and more serious medical condition than participants not undergoing treatment during the study.

Importantly, this study included a diverse population (42% African American and 31% Hispanic). Previous studies and surveys suggest that the yoga community can do a better job reaching diverse populations, and this study confirms that when introduced to yoga, they experience significant emotional and social benefits.

Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 25(28), 4387-95. Oct 2007.
Authors: Moadel, A.B., Shah, C., Wylie-Rosett, J., Harris, M.S., Patel, S.R., Hall, C.B., & Sparano, J.A.