title: Qigong/tai chi for sleep and fatigue in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep disturbances and fatigue are common in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Prior research suggests mind-body techniques may improve these outcomes. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of qigong/tai chi (QGTC) in men with prostate cancer undergoing radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men with prostate cancer starting definitive radiation were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: (1) QGTC; (2) light exercise (LE); or (3) waiting list control. Sleep disturbances (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory) were assessed at baseline, midway through radiotherapy (T2), during the last week of radiotherapy (T3), and at 1 (T4) and 3 months (T5) after the end of radiotherapy. Patients in the QGTC and LE groups attended three 40-minute classes per week throughout radiotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety patients were randomized to the 3 groups (QGTC = 26; LE = 26; waiting list control = 24). The QGTC group reported longer sleep duration midway through radiotherapy (QGTC = 7.01 h; LE = 6.42; WL = 6.50; P = .05), but this difference did not persist over time. There were no group differences in other domains of sleep or fatigue. Exploratory analyses conducted to examine the effect of health-related quality of life (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite and American Urological Association Symptom score) on sleep and fatigue showed significant correlations across multiple domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Qigong/tai chi during radiation for prostate cancer resulted in superior sleep duration midway through radiation, but this effect was not durable, and there were no differences in other domains of sleep or fatigue. Exploratory analysis demonstrated that both sleep and fatigue were highly correlated with prostate cancer-related physical symptoms. Future mind-body intervention studies should incorporate multimodal therapy focused on improving physical symptoms in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: McQuade
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prinsloo
authors.affiliation: Virginia Oncology Associates and Department of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Newport News, VA, USA.
authors.forename: David Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Basen-Engquist
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zonghao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuban
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Texas Oncology, Irving, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D005221:Fatigue / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D064906:Qigong; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D026302:Tai Ji; D013781:Texas; D014850:Waiting Lists
keywords: fatigue; oncology; prostate cancer; qigong; sleep; tai chi