Ffects Of Taichi-qigong Exercise On Mental Health Of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Survivors

Abstract

The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is high in endemic areas. The long-term chemotherapy and radiotherapy cause bodily dysfunction and extended psychological stress in NPC cancer survivors. The meditative exercise, especially Taichi-Qigong exercise (TQE), are getting more common and continues to grow among cancer survivors. Empirical evidence found positive effects in improving side effects induced by cancer therapy from practicing TQE, however, scientific evidence is still lacking. PURPOSE: to evaluate the effects of a 10-weeks TQE, as an non-pharmacological treatment, on mental health of NPC survivors. METHODS: 43 NPC survivors (age 32-79 yrs-old; men 45.5%) recruited from the Cancer Patient Resource Centers of a local hospital, were randomly assigned into either a TQE (n=23) or a control group (n=20). The TQE group practiced TQE for at least 3 times a week (one 60-min instructor-led session and two 30-min self-practice sessions) for 10 weeks, whereas control group maintained usual care. Both TQE and control groups received health & diet education once a month. The pre- and post- outcome measures included: questionnaires on cancer-related quality of life (FACT-G), cancer-related fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory; BFI), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CES-D) and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; PSQ). Same measures were obtained 3-months after the intervention (maintenance tests). RESULTS: Two-way (group x pre-post) repeated measure ANCOVA with age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) as covariates, found TQE exhibited significant better overall quality of Life (FACT-G) (p≤ .05), and emotional sub-scale of FACT (p< .10). The benefits did not change at maintenance (p> .05). The TQE group also demonstrated improved PSQ after intervention (p< .10). There were no group difference in BFI and CES-D. (p > .05) CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides preliminary findings to suggest that, Taichi-Qigong exercise, as a typical mind-body exercise, may contribute to better quality of life, emotion, and sleep quality during the course of NPC rehabilitation. Further study with longer intervention is needed to examine the effects of TQE on other mental health outcomes of cancer survivors such as fatigue and depression, as well as physical health outcomes.