The Effectiveness of Yoga on Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

ABSTRACT

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION The aim of this article is to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. LITERATURE SEARCH Relevant English and Chinese articles were retrieved from medical databases and included in this analysis. Standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute were adopted for the quality assessment. DATA EVALUATION 16 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. SYNTHESIS: Yoga interventions had a positive effect in reducing CRF among patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, but the adherence to yoga was low. Mixed types of yoga, in addition to supervised and self-practicing strategies, were associated with increased patient adherence and improved CRF. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Yoga appears to be a safe and effective exercise for the management of CRF during chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy; however, additional high-quality studies are needed to define an optimal yoga intervention strategy.