title: Yoga for persistent fatigue in breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer-related fatigue afflicts up to 33% of breast cancer survivors, yet there are no empirically validated treatments for this symptom.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors conducted a 2-group randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility and efficacy of an Iyengar yoga intervention for breast cancer survivors with persistent post-treatment fatigue. Participants were breast cancer survivors who had completed cancer treatments (other than endocrine therapy) at least 6 months before enrollment, reported significant cancer-related fatigue, and had no other medical conditions that would account for fatigue symptoms or interfere with yoga practice. Block randomization was used to assign participants to a 12-week, Iyengar-based yoga intervention or to 12 weeks of health education (control). The primary outcome was change in fatigue measured at baseline, immediately post-treatment, and 3 months after treatment completion. Additional outcomes included changes in vigor, depressive symptoms, sleep, perceived stress, and physical performance. Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted with all randomized participants using linear mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one women were randomly assigned to yoga (n = 16) or health education (n = 15). Fatigue severity declined significantly from baseline to post-treatment and over a 3-month follow-up in the yoga group relative to controls (P = .032). In addition, the yoga group had significant increases in vigor relative to controls (P = .011). Both groups had positive changes in depressive symptoms and perceived stress (P < .05). No significant changes in sleep or physical performance were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A targeted yoga intervention led to significant improvements in fatigue and vigor among breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. jbower@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Julienne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Garet
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sternlieb
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ganz
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olmstead
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Greendale
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015013:Yoga