Can a multimodal mind-body program enhance the treatment effects of physical activity in breast cancer survivors with chronic tumor-associated fatigue? A randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effects of a multimodal mind-body program (MMMT) versus a walking intervention alone on chronic fatigue symptoms in women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer.
Results Summary
Both interventions reduced fatigue symptoms and improved quality of life and functional well-being, but there was no significant difference between the MMMT and walking groups. The study concluded that the MMMT did not provide additional benefits over walking alone for fatigue reduction.
Population
Women (mean age 56.7 years) with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
10 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity | decrease | fatigue scores | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | reduced | #1 |
walking intervention alone | decrease | fatigue scores | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | reduced | #2 |
multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity | no change | fatigue scores | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | Δ = -0.3, confidence interval = -1.6 to 1.0, P = .678 | no significant difference | #3 |
multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity | no change | fatigue scores | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | Δ = -0.4, confidence interval = -1.8 to 0.9, P = .510 | no significant difference | #4 |
multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity | increase | quality of life (QoL) | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | improved | #5 |
walking intervention alone | increase | quality of life (QoL) | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | improved | #6 |
multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity | increase | general functional well-being | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | improved | #7 |
walking intervention alone | increase | general functional well-being | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | improved | #8 |
multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity | no change | fatigue symptoms | women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment | - | no verifiable add-on effect | #9 |
UNLABELLED: Background. Chronic fatigue is one of the most restricting symptoms following primary breast cancer treatment, but clinical studies on symptom management are rare. The objective was to evaluate the impact of a multimodal mind-body program (MMMT), including moderate physical activity as compared with a walking intervention alone, on chronic fatigue symptoms of women with stage I to IIIA breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-four women (mean age = 56.7 years) suffering from chronic fatigue after active tumor treatment were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control (n = 32 each) intervention (10 weeks). Fatigue, quality of life (QoL), functional well-being, anxiety, and depression were measured with standard questionnaires at baseline, after 10 weeks, and after 3 months. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, both groups had reduced fatigue scores after treatment without any significant difference between groups (posttreatment, Δ = -0.3, confidence interval = -1.6 to 1.0, P = .678; follow-up, Δ = -0.4, confidence interval = -1.8 to 0.9, P = .510). All patients also improved regarding QoL and general functional well-being. CONCLUSION: Since both interventions reduced fatigue symptoms and enhanced QoL to a similar extent, we observed no verifiable add-on effect of the MMMT regarding fatigue symptoms. Considering the higher costs with additional expenditure related to MMMT, home-based walking intervention is recommended.