Pre-Surgical Qigong Therapy for Women With Breast Cancer

NCT00495209 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2005-0876
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 7
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the United States has increased dramatically in the past 10 years. Nowhere is this trend more apparent than when one examines CAM use by patients diagnosed with cancer. As with the general population, patients with cancer typically use CAM-based modalities alongside their conventional cancer treatments. Patients are often seeking a holistic approach to managing and preventing disease. Although most patients will combine alternative approaches with conventional medicine, some patients do in fact decline curative conventional treatments in favor of more non-toxic alternative approaches. One such approach that patients combine with conventional medicine or use in place of conventional medicine is qigong. Qigong is a bioenergy therapy with a long history of therapeutic use for many diseases, including cancer. Preliminary experiments and a review of the literature show that qigong might improve the outcome for cancer patients. However, none of this research has been confirmed in the peer-reviewed Western scientific literature. Although it is unlikely that EQT will result in significant decreases in tumor size, patients are using qigong either as a complementary approach, and sometimes even in place of conventional medicine, it is, therefore, important for us to determine whether there is any merit to this treatment modality. The goal of this pilot trial is to examine one form of medical qigong (external qi therapy (EQT)) to determine feasibility. In an exploratory nature we will also examine any changes in tumor size in women with breast cancer who are awaiting surgery.

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Keywords

Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Breast Cancer; Qigong; Medical Qigong; External Qi Therapy; EQT

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Feasibility of conducting external qigong in women with breast cancer awaiting surgery

  3 Years

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Initial efficacy of external qi therapy (EQT) as measured by tumor size

  Baseline to end of treatment (5 days)

Study Arms (1)

Qigong

Pre-surgical Qigong therapy for women with breast cancer External Qi Therapy = EQT

Other: Qigong

Interventions

Qigong OTHER

EQT daily for 5 consecutive days prior to surgery.

Also known as: Bioenergy Therapy, External Qi Therapy, EQT

Qigong

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Women with breast cancer who are awaiting surgery.

You may qualify if:

• Histologically confirmed and intact invasive ductal carcinoma
• Women with a single measurable mass less than or equal to 3 cm
• Women who are awaiting the surgical removal of breast cancer
• Surgery is scheduled at least 2 weeks from the time of recruitment
• Willing to come to MDACC or Fudan University Cancer Hospital (FUCH) for 5 consecutive days to receive the EQT
• years of age or older because the assessment tools are not validated for use in minors.

You may not qualify if:

• Women with lobular carcinoma
• Prior or planned neoadjuvant treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• Evidence of metastatic disease

Sponsors & Collaborators

• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

Location

Related Links

• UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Breast Neoplasms

Interventions

Qigong

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Breast Diseases; Skin Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Breathing Exercises; Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Exercise Movement Techniques; Physical Therapy Modalities

Study Officials

• Lorenzo Cohen, PhD

  M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 28, 2007
• First Posted: July 2, 2007
• Study Start: July 26, 2006
• Primary Completion: March 7, 2018
• Study Completion: March 7, 2018
• Last Updated: August 15, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-08

Locations

US (1)