Effect of mindfulness yoga on anxiety and depression in early breast cancer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial

Purpose: The objective of this study is to explore the effects of a mindfulness yoga treatment on emotional disorders, fatigue, pain, and health-related quality of life in early-stage breast cancer patients.

Methods: The eligible 136 participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to the experimental group (mindfulness yoga + conventional care) and the control group (conventional care). The hospital anxiety and depression scale was used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms as the primary outcome. Secondary results comprised fatigue (RPFS-CV), pain (BPI-C), and health-related quality of life (FACT-B). Assessments were performed at baseline time, the 8th week, and the 20th week.

Results: The Experimental group had a better prognosis in comparison with those in the control group, especially for anxiety [inter-group effect, T 1: 1.18 (95% CI 0.20–2.17; P = 0.018)], depression [ T 1: 1.49 (95% CI 0.48–2.50; P = 0.004)] and health-related life quality [ T 1: − 6.34 (95% CI − 11.81 to − 0.87; P = 0.023)]. While fatigue [ T 1: 0.23 (95% CI − 0.24–0.69; P = 0.337); T 2: 0.27 (95% CI − 0.16–0.71; P = 0.219)] and pain [ T 1: 1.11 (95% CI − 0.05–2.27; P = 0.060); T 2: 0.68 (95% CI − 0.27–1.62; P = 0.159)] were not different between the two groups.

Conclusion: In patients with early-stage breast cancer who had received adjuvant chemotherapy, treatment with mindfulness yoga is as effective as conventional care in improving physical function. Along with other treatments, mindfulness yoga may help alleviate anxiety and depression to improve the overall physical and mental health and quality of life of early-stage breast cancer patients. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Registration number : ChiCTR2100052842, Reg. Date: 2021/11/6.