Amy Spelman

Randomized, Controlled Trial of Yoga in Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy

PURPOSE Previous research incorporating yoga (YG) into radiotherapy (XRT) for women with breast cancer finds improved quality of life (QOL). However, shortcomings in this research limit the findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with stages 0 to III breast cancer were recruited before starting XRT and were randomly assigned to YG (n = 53) or stretching (ST; n = 56) three times a week for 6 weeks during XRT or waitlist (WL; n = 54) control. Self-report measures of QOL (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form survey; primary outcomes), fatigue, depression, and sleep quality, and five saliva samples per day for 3 consecutive days were collected at baseline, end of treatment, and 1, 3, and 6 months later. RESULTS The YG group had significantly greater increases in physical component scale scores compared with the WL group at 1 and 3 months after XRT (P = .01 and P = .01). At 1, 3, and 6 months, the YG group had greater increases in physical functioning compared with both ST and WL groups (P < .05), with ST and WL differences at only 3 months (P < .02). The group differences were similar for general health reports. By the end of XRT, the YG and ST groups also had a reduction in fatigue (P < .05). There were no group differences for mental health and sleep quality. Cortisol slope was steepest for the YG group compared with the ST and WL groups at the end (P = .023 and P = .008) and 1 month after XRT (P = .05 and P = .04). CONCLUSION YG improved QOL and physiological changes associated with XRT beyond the benefits of simple ST exercises, and these benefits appear to have long-term durability.

Randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for prevention of radiation‐induced xerostomia among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Xerostomia (dry mouth) after head/neck radiation is a common problem among cancer patients, and available treatments are of little benefit. The objective of this trial was to determine whether acupuncture can prevent xerostomia among head/neck patients undergoing radiotherapy.

Sham-controlled, randomised, feasibility trial of acupuncture for prevention of radiation-induced xerostomia among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND Xerostomia (dry mouth) after head/neck radiation is a common problem among cancer patients. Quality of life (QOL) is impaired, and available treatments are of little benefit. This trial determined the feasibility of conducting a sham-controlled trial of acupuncture and whether acupuncture could prevent xerostomia among head/neck patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS A sham controlled, feasibility trial was conducted at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing radiotherapy. To determine feasibility of a sham procedure, 23 patients were randomised to real acupuncture (N=11) or to sham acupuncture (N=12). Patients were treated three times/week during the course of radiotherapy. Subjective measures were the Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ) and MD Anderson Symptom Inventory for Head and Neck Cancer (MDASI-HN). Objective measures were unstimulated whole salivary flow rates (UWSFR) and stimulated salivary flow rates (SSFR). Patients were followed for 1 month after radiotherapy. RESULTS XQ scores for acupuncture were significantly lower than sham controls starting in week 3 and lasted through the 1-month follow-up (all Ps <0.001 except for week 3, which was 0.006), with clinically significant differences as follows: week 6 - RR 0.28 [95% confidence interval, 0.10, 0.79]; week 11 - RR 0.17 [95%CI, 0.03, 1.07]. Similar findings were seen for MDASI-HN scores and MDASI-Intrusion scores. Group differences for UWSFR and SSFR were not found. CONCLUSIONS In this small pilot study, true acupuncture given concurrently with radiotherapy significantly reduced xerostomia symptoms and improved QOL when compared with sham acupuncture. Large-scale, multi-centre, randomised and placebo-controlled trials are now needed.

Tibetan sound meditation for cognitive dysfunction: results of a randomized controlled pilot trial

Although chemotherapy‐induced cognitive impairment is common among breast cancer patients, evidence for effective interventions addressing cognitive deficits is limited. This randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a Tibetan Sound Meditation (TSM) program to improve cognitive function and quality of life in breast cancer patients.

Prospective randomised evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine combined with chemotherapy: a randomised phase II study of wild toad extract plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinomas

Background:An intravenous formulated extract of the venom of the wild toad Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor or Bufo melanostictus Schneider, huachansu, is currently used in China for the treatment of lung, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. We performed a randomised, single-blinded, phase II clinical study of huachansu plus gemcitabine versus placebo plus gemcitabine in patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinomas.Methods:Patients with tissue-proven locally advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic adenocarinoma were randomly assigned to receive either gemcitabine 1000 mg m−2 on days 1, 8, and 15 with huachansu 20 ml m−2 daily for 21 days (arm A) or placebo (arm B); treatment cycles were 28 days in length. Primary end point was 4-month progression-free overall survival (PFS); secondary end points were objective radiographical response rate (ORR), time to progression (TTP), and toxicity.Results:A total of 80 subjects were enrolled; 76 patients were evaluable (received at least 1 week therapy). Median overall survival was 160 days for arm A and 156 days for arm B (P=0.339); ORR was 9 and 3% in arms A and B, respectively (P=0.332), median TTP was 98 and 115 days, respectively (P=0.825); the median 4-month PFS was 99 and 98 days, respectively (P=0.679).Conclusion:Huachansu when combined with gemcitabine did not improve the outcome of patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Expressive Writing for Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE This randomized controlled trial examined the quality-of-life benefits of an expressive writing (EW) intervention for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and identified a potential underlying mechanism of intervention efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients (N = 277) with stage I to IV RCC were randomly assigned to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings regarding their cancer (EW) or about neutral topics (neutral writing [NW]) on four separate occasions. Patients completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), and Impact of Event Scale (IES) at baseline and 1, 4, and 10 months after the intervention. RESULTS The mean age of participants (28% stage IV; 41% female) was 58 years. Multilevel modeling analyses, using a Bonferroni-corrected α = .021 for six outcomes adjusted for the correlation among outcomes, revealed that, relative to the NW group, patients in the EW group reported significantly lower MDASI scores (P = .003) and higher physical component summary scores on the SF-36 (P = .019) at 10 months after the intervention. Mediation analyses revealed that significant group differences for MDASI scores at 10 months were mediated by lower IES scores at 1 month after the intervention in the EW group (P = .042). No significant group differences were observed in the BFI, CES-D, PSQI, and mental component summary of the SF-36. CONCLUSION EW may reduce cancer-related symptoms and improve physical functioning in patients with RCC. Evidence suggests that this effect may occur through short-term improvements in cognitive processing.

Cognitive susceptibility to smoking: two paths to experimenting among Mexican origin youth.

Cognitive susceptibility to smoking, defined as the lack of a firm commitment not to smoke in the future or if offered a cigarette by a friend, begins in childhood and is an early phase in the transition from never to ever smoking. Our objectives were to examine susceptibility to smoking and other psychosocial risk factors for experimentation with cigarettes among Mexican origin adolescents and to determine whether susceptibility status moderates the relationship between established risk factors for experimentation with cigarettes and future experimentation. We examined susceptibility and several psychosocial factors associated with susceptibility as baseline predictors of experimentation after 3 years of follow-up among 964 Mexican origin girls and boys between 11 and 13 years of age from the Houston metropolitan area. Participants were recruited between May 2005 and October 2006 and reported that they had never experimented with cigarettes at baseline. Baseline susceptibility and experimentation rates were 23% and 9%, respectively, whereas the follow-up experimentation rate, among those who had not experimented at baseline, was 22%. Susceptible adolescents at baseline were 2.6 times more likely to have experimented with cigarettes by follow-up. Baseline susceptibility moderated the relationship between experimentation at follow-up and the psychosocial risk factors assessed at baseline. Susceptibility is a valid and strong marker for the transition to experimentation for Mexican origin adolescents. Our results suggest that tailoring primary prevention programs by a youths susceptibility status may increase the efficacy of prevention efforts among Mexican origin youth.(Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(12):3459–67)

Couple-based Tibetan yoga program for lung cancer patients and their caregivers

The cancer diagnosis and treatment does not only reduce patients’ but also family caregivers’ quality of life (QOL) (1). Caregivers may experience clinical levels of depression, sleep disturbances and fatigue, (2) which may negatively impact their ability to provide quality care and support (3) and may exacerbate patient distress (4). As lung cancer is associated with more debilitating sequelae than any other type of cancer (5) resulting in a high need for care and support, caregivers of lung cancer patients may be particularly vulnerable to poor QOL (6). Although urgently needed, supportive care interventions that manage symptoms and QOL in both lung cancer patients and caregivers are generally lacking. Mind-body interventions such as yoga may improve various aspects of QOL (7); yet, previous investigations have exclude lung cancer patients as well as caregivers. Thus, we pilot-tested a couple-based Tibetan Yoga (TYC) program in lung cancer. Because the practice involves gentle, simple movements performed in a seated position, controlled breathing exercises, and meditation techniques fostering connectedness between patient and caregiver, we expected this type of yoga practice to be well suited for the needs of this vulnerable population. We examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy regarding QOL outcomes of this dyadic supportive care approach. We incorporated the intervention into patients’ 6-week radiation treatment plans, as the program may be especially useful at this time to buffer treatment side effects and psychological distress that ensues.

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of K1 acupoint acustimulation to prevent cisplatin-induced or oxaliplatin-induced nausea.

Greater than 70% of patients with cancer experience chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting. In the current study, the authors examined the effects of electrostimulation of the K1 acupoint located on the sole of the foot because it is believed to have the potential to control chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting.

Vivekananda Yoga Program for Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer and Their Family Caregivers

Background. The primary purpose of this study was to establish the feasibility of a couple-based Vivekananda Yoga (VKC) intervention in lung cancer patients and caregivers. Secondly, we examined preliminary efficacy regarding quality of life (QOL) outcomes. Method. In this single-arm feasibility trial, patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy and their caregivers participated in a 15-session VKC program that focused on the interconnectedness of the dyad. We assessed pre-and post-intervention levels of fatigue, sleep disturbances, psychological distress, overall QOL, spirituality, and relational closeness. We tracked feasibility data, and participants completed program evaluations. Results. We approached 28 eligible dyads of which 15 (53%) consented and 9 (60%) completed the intervention. Patients (mean age = 73 years, 63% female, all stage III) and caregivers (mean age = 62 years, 38% female, 63% spouses) completed a mean of 10 sessions and 95.5% of them rated the program as very useful. Paired t tests revealed a significant increase in patients’ mental health (d = 0.84; P = .04) and a significant decrease in caregivers’ sleep disturbances (d = 1.44; P = .02). Although not statistically significant, for patients, effect sizes for change scores were medium for benefit finding and small for distress (d = 0.65 and 0.37, respectively). For caregivers, medium effects were found for improvement in physical functioning (d = 0.50). Conclusion. This novel supportive care program appears to be safe, feasible, acceptable, and subjectively useful for lung cancer patients and their caregivers and lends support for further study.