Top

Published in:

01-04-2010 | Review

Tai chi for breast cancer patients: a systematic review

Authors: Myeong Soo Lee, Tae-Young Choi, Edzard Ernst

Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment | Issue 2/2010

Abstract

The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of tai chi for supportive breast cancer care. Eleven databases were searched from inception through December 2009. Controlled trials testing tai chi in patients with breast cancer that assessed clinical outcome measures were considered. The selection of studies, data extraction, and validations were performed independently by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane criteria. Three randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and four non-randomized controlled clinical trials (CCTs) met our inclusion criteria. The three RCTs tested the effects of tai chi on breast cancer care compared with walking exercise, psychological support therapy, or spiritual growth or standard health care and showed no significant differences between tai chi and these control procedures in quality of life and psychological and physical outcome measures. The meta-analysis also failed to demonstrate significant effects of tai chi compared with control interventions (n = 38, SMD, 0.45, 95% CI −0.25 to 1.14, P = 0.21; heterogeneity: χ² = 0.23, P = 0.63; I ² = 0%). All of the four CCTs showed favorable effects of tai chi. Three trials suggested effectiveness in psychological and physical outcome measures, whereas one study was too poorly reported to be evaluated in detail. All of the CCTs had a high risk of bias. Collectively, the existing trial evidence does not show convincingly that tai chi is effective for supportive breast cancer care. Future studies should be of high methodological quality, with a particular emphasis on including an adequate control intervention.

Markes M, Brockow T, Resch KL (2006) Exercise for women receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev CD005001

Wyatt G, Sikorskii A, Wills CE, Su H (2010) Complementary and alternative medicine use, spending, and quality of life in early stage breast cancer. Nurs Res 59:58–66CrossRefPubMed

Owens B, Jackson M, Berndt A (2009) Complementary therapy used by Hispanic women during treatment for breast cancer. J Holist Nurs 27:167–176CrossRefPubMed

Matthews AK, Sellergren SA, Huo D, List M, Fleming G (2007) Complementary and alternative medicine use among breast cancer survivors. J Altern Complement Med 13:555–562CrossRefPubMed

Greenlee H, Kwan ML, Ergas IJ et al (2009) Complementary and alternative therapy use before and after breast cancer diagnosis: the pathways study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 117:653–665CrossRefPubMed

Gerber B, Scholz C, Reimer T, Briese V, Janni W (2006) Complementary and alternative therapeutic approaches in patients with early breast cancer: a systematic review. Breast Cancer Res Treat 95:199–209CrossRefPubMed

Chen Z, Gu K, Zheng Y, Zheng W, Lu W, Shu XO (2008) The use of complementary and alternative medicine among Chinese women with breast cancer. J Altern Complement Med 14:1049–1055CrossRefPubMed

Carpenter CL, Ganz PA, Bernstein L (2009) Complementary and alternative therapies among very long-term breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer Res Treat 116:387–396CrossRefPubMed

Boon H, Olatunde F, Zick S (2007) Trends in complementary/alternative medicine use by breast cancer survivors: comparing survey data from 1998 and 2005. BMC Womens Health 7:4CrossRefPubMed

10.

Mansky P, Sannes T, Wallerstedt D et al (2006) Tai chi chuan: mind-body practice or exercise intervention? Studying the benefit for cancer survivors. Integr Cancer Ther 5:192–201CrossRefPubMed

11.

Lee MS, Pittler MH, Ernst E (2007) Is tai chi an effective adjunct in cancer care? A systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Support Care Cancer 15:597–601CrossRefPubMed

12.

Higgins JPT, Altman DG (2008) Assessing risk of bias in included studies. In: Higgins JPT, Green S (eds) Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, UK, pp 187–241CrossRef

13.

Follmann D, Elliott P, Suh I, Cutler J (1992) Variance imputation for overviews of clinical trials with continuous response. J Clin Epidemiol 45:769–773CrossRefPubMed

14.

Galantino ML, Capito L, Kane RJ, Ottey N, Switzer S, Packel L (2003) The effects of tai chi and walking on fatigue and body mass index in women living with breast cancer: a pilot study. Rehabil Oncol 21:17–22

15.

Mustian KM, Roscoe JA, Katula JA, Gill DL, Lang D, Murphy K (2004) Tai chi chuan, health-related quality of life and self-esteem: a randomized trial with breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 12:871–876CrossRefPubMed

16.

Rausch SM (2007) Evaluating psychosocial effects of two intervention, tai chi and spiritual growth groups, in women with breast cancer. College of Humanities and Sciences, MS thesis. Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia

17.

Eom A (2007) Effects of a tai chi program for early mastectomy patients. Korean J Women Health Nurs 13:43–50

18.

Seoung MY (2008) Effect of tai chi exercise program on physical functioning and psychological problems of breast cancer patients after surgery. MS thesis, Department of Nursing, Chungnam National University, Daejeon

19.

Kim CW (2009) The effect of tai-chi exercise on the function of shoulder joint, cardiovascular systems and immune system in breast cancer patients. PhD dissertation, Dong Eui University, Busan

20.

Hwang IS, Kwak YS (2009) Tai chi exercise on MDA, SOD and physical fitness in breast cancer patients. J Life Sci 19:543–548

21.

Higgins JPT, Green S (2008) Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, UKCrossRef

22.

Lee MS, Chen KW, Sancier KM, Ernst E (2007) Qigong for cancer treatment: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Acta Oncol 46:717–722CrossRefPubMed

23.

Sannes TS, Mansky PJ, Chesney MA (2008) The need for attention to dose in mind-body interventions: lessons from tai chi clinical trials. J Altern Complement Med 14:645–653CrossRefPubMed

24.

Egger M, Smith GD (1998) Bias in location and selection of studies. BMJ 316:61–66PubMed

25.

Ernst E, Pittler MH (1997) Alternative therapy bias. Nature 385:480CrossRefPubMed

26.

Rothstein HR, Sutton AJ, Borenstein M (eds) (2005) Publication bias in meta-analysis. Wiley, Chichester, West Sussex

27.

Vickers A, Goyal N, Harland R, Rees R (1998) Do certain countries produce only positive results? A systematic review of controlled trials. Control Clin Trials 19:159–166CrossRefPubMed

28.

Wayne PM, Kaptchuk TJ (2008) Challenges inherent to tai chi research. Part II. Defining the intervention and optimal study design. J Altern Complement Med 14:191–197CrossRefPubMed

29.

Wayne PM, Kaptchuk TJ (2008) Challenges inherent to tai chi research. Part I. Tai chi as a complex multicomponent intervention. J Altern Complement Med 14:95–102CrossRefPubMed

Title: Tai chi for breast cancer patients: a systematic review
Authors: Myeong Soo Lee
Tae-Young Choi
Edzard Ernst
Publication date: 01-04-2010
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment / Issue 2/2010
Print ISSN: 0167-6806
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0741-2

Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras

Prof. Fabrice Barlesi

Developed by: Springer Medicine

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2010

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and AKT1 mutations occur early in breast carcinoma

Outcome of axillary staging in early breast cancer: a meta-analysis

Computer-aided detection in full-field digital mammography in a clinical population: performance of radiologist and technologists

SOX9 mediates the retinoic acid-induced HES-1 gene expression in human breast cancer cells

Recommendations for research priorities in breast cancer by the coalition of cancer cooperative groups scientific leadership council: imaging and local therapy

Combinatorial biomarker expression in breast cancer

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer