Abstract
Yoga-based exercise has proven to be beneficial for practitioners, including cancer survivors. This study reports on the effect on inflammatory biological markers for 20 breast cancer survivors who participated in a six-month yoga-based (YE) exercise program. Results are compared to a comprehensive exercise (CE) program group and a comparison (C) exercise group who chose their own exercises.“Pre” and “post” assessments included measures of anthropometrics, cardiorespiratory capacity, and inflammatory markers interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Descriptive statistics, effect size (d), and dependent sample ‘t’ tests for all outcome measures were calculated for the YE group.Significant improvements were seen in decreased % body fat, (−3.00%, d = −0.44, p = <.001) but not in cardiorespiratory capacity or in inflammatory serum markers. To compare YE outcomes with the other two groups, a one-way analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA) was used, controlling for age, BMI, cardiorespiratory capacity and serum marker baseline values. We found no differences between groups. Moreover, we did not see significant changes in any inflammatory marker for any group.Our results support the effectiveness of yoga-based exercise modified for breast cancer survivors for improving body composition. Larger studies are needed to determine if there are significant changes in inflammatory serum markers as a result of specific exercise modalities.
Highlights
IntroductionOver 226,000 new women are diagnosed with breast cancer (American Cancer Society 2012)
Each year, over 226,000 new women are diagnosed with breast cancer (American Cancer Society 2012)
We examined TNFα, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and C-reactive protein (CRP)
Summary
Over 226,000 new women are diagnosed with breast cancer (American Cancer Society 2012). Breast cancer remains the most prevalent cancer for women, and for Latina women, it is still the number one cause of cancer mortality (American Cancer Society 2009). These benefits have been well documented, only a minority of breast cancer survivors are active at levels consistent with public health guidelines (Schmitz et al 2010). Like others who experience cancer, many breast cancer survivors who were not active before diagnosis stay inactive; and, those who were active often do not return to their previous level of activity (Schmitz et al 2010). Approximately four out of every five breast cancer survivors do not meet national
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