Effects of qigong training on health-related quality of life, functioning, and cancer-related symptoms in survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer: a pilot study.

Shirley S M Fong,Joanne W Y Chung,Janet Y H Wong,W S Luk,Shamay S M Ng,Louisa M Y Chung

doi:10.1155/2014/495274

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Qigong intervention on quality of life (QOL), health-related functioning, and cancer-related symptoms in survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Twenty-five survivors of NPC were included in the experimental group (mean age ± SD: 55.4 ± 7.5 years) and 27 in the control group (mean age ± SD: 58.7 ± 9.5 years). The experimental group underwent a weekly 1.5-hour Qigong training program and an identical home program (three times/week) for six months. The control group received no training. Global health status/QOL, functioning, and cancer-related symptoms were assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires before training began, after three months of Qigong training, at the end of the six-month Qigong intervention (i.e., posttest), and six months posttest. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no statistically (P > 0.05) or clinically significant improvement in global health status/QOL, functioning, or symptoms in either group. The experimental group had 45.8% fewer sense-related (smell and taste) problems (P < 0.05) but 98.6% more speech-related problems (P < 0.05) than the control group after the Qigong intervention. Qigong training resulted in no apparent improvement in health-related QOL, functionality, or cancer-related symptoms in cancer-free survivors of NPC, except for a possible reduction in smell- and taste-related problems.

Highlights

Many people in Southeast Asia, Southern China, and North Africa are diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), a disease endemic in these regions [1]
Advances in NPC treatments have led to improvements in survival rates [2], survivors often live with numerous canceror treatment-related symptoms that cause dysfunctions and a reduction in quality of life (QOL) [3, 4]
Twenty-five participants underwent Qigong training voluntarily for six months while twenty-seven participants acted as controls

Summary

Introduction

Many people in Southeast Asia, Southern China, and North Africa are diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), a disease endemic in these regions [1]. Advances in NPC treatments have led to improvements in survival rates (five-year survival rate = 55%–90%) [2], survivors often live with numerous canceror treatment-related symptoms that cause dysfunctions and a reduction in quality of life (QOL) [3, 4]. A previous study reported that survivors of NPC had a lower health-related. QOL during their cancer-free survival period than the healthy control participants. Socioeconomic status was the major determinant of QOL in this group. Participants who had a lower economic status tended to have a lower QOL [3].

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