The inclusion
of Yoga as a complementary therapy in women undergoing treatment for breast
cancer is highly beneficial, a new study has revealed.
According to
a team of researchers at the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMC) who conducted the
landmark breast cancer study, the regular practice of yoga has reduced the risk
of recurrence and death due to the diseases by 15 percent.
Dr. Nita Nair,
Research Head, presented the study in a SPOTLIGHT paper at the San Antonio
Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), one of the most prestigious breast cancer
conferences in the world held annually in the USA. The paper presented the
results of a landmark breast cancer study testing the effect of YOGA as a
complementary therapy in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Breast
cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women not only in India but
globally and continues to have a large impact on the global number of cancer
deaths. From being fourth on the list of most common cancers in India during
the 1990s, it now tops the list.
Breast
cancer is not like other cancers that take lives away. It is completely curable
and can even be prevented. The research has proven to be the first example of
an Indian traditional remedy being tested in a rigorous western design of the
randomized study with a robust sample size.
For the purposes of this study, yoga intervention was
carefully designed with inputs from yoga consultants, clinicians as well as
physiotherapists to suit the needs of breast cancer patients and survivors.
Different phases of their treatment and recovery were kept in focus to drive an
overall result of the effects of Yoga.
The Yoga protocol used in the trials included gentle and
restorative yoga postures (asana) with regular periods of relaxation and
pranayama, implemented through classes by qualified and experienced yoga
instructors.
The first
randomized trial on Yoga was published in The Lancet by Patel and North in 1975,
which found that Yoga was more effective than relaxation for reducing high
blood pressure. A good deal of yoga studies was done after that. The studies
indicate the practice to be a lifestyle that can help individuals lead healthier lives. Emerging research suggests that yoga can increase body
awareness or attention to the sensations and the mechanisms of the human body.
