Impact of Somatic Yoga and Meditation on Fall Risk, Function, and Quality of Life for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Syndrome in Cancer Survivors

• Published in: Integrative cancer therapies Vol. 18; p. 1534735419850627
• Main Authors: Galantino, Mary Lou, Tiger, Robyn, Brooks, Jennifer, Jang, Shera, Wilson, Kim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.01.2019; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - prevention & control; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Cancer; Cancer Survivors - psychology; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Falls; Female; Health risks; Humans; Male; Meditation; Meditation - psychology; Middle Aged; Neurotoxicity; Pain perception; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - chemically induced; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - psychology; Peripheral neuropathy; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Rehabilitation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Temporal perception; Yoga; Yoga - psychology; neuropathy; cancer survivorship; quality of life; somatic yoga; fall risk; function
• ISSN: 1534-7354; 1552-695X
• DOI: 10.1177/1534735419850627

Objective. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) syndrome causes significant pain as an adverse effect of treatment, with few nonpharmacological interventions tested. A somatic yoga and meditation (SYM) intervention on functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) was investigated. Design and methods. Individuals diagnosed with CIPN were enrolled in an open-label, single-arm, mixed-methods feasibility trial. Participants and Setting. In an outpatient rehabilitation center, ten participants with median age 64.4 years (47-81) attended 61% of the sessions with no adverse events. Intervention. SYM twice a week for 8 weeks for 1.5 hours, with home program and journaling. Main outcome measures. Primary functional outcomes included Sit and Reach (SR), Functional Reach (FR), and Timed Up and Go (TUG). Self-reported Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Neurotoxicity (FACT-GOG-NTX) were secondary CIPN outcomes. Biomarkers included salivary cortisol (stress) and bioesthesiometer (vibration). Results: Quantitative findings. Significant improvements were found in flexibility (SR; P = .006); balance (FR; P = .001) and fall risk (TUG; P = .004). PNQ improved significantly (P = .003) with other measures improving non-significantly. Qualitative findings. Five themes emerged: (1) vacillation of CIPN pain perception over time; (2) transferability of skills to daily activities; (3) improvement in physical function; (4) perceived relaxation as an effect of SYM; and (5) group engagement provided a social context for not feeling isolated with CIPN. Conclusion. Preliminary data suggest SYM may improve QOL, flexibility, and balance in cancer survivors with CIPN, with a fully powered randomized controlled trial indicated. Trial registration: NCT03786055