Yoga as an Alternative and Complementary Treatment for Cancer: A Systematic Review

Objectives: Cancer is an important public health concern, with millions of patients affected worldwide. Given the physical, psychological, and physiologic changes associated with cancer, holistic therapies are needed to treat all aspect of the disease. Design: A systematic review was conducted to determine the efficacy of yoga as a treatment option for cancer since 2010. Included studies were published from January 2010 to July 2012 and were indexed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Alt HealthWatch. Results: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight of these studies were performed in the United States, and one each was conducted in Slovenia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Turkey. Conclusions: The evidence for efficacy of yoga as an alternative and complementary treatment for cancer is mixed, although generally positive. Limitations of the reviewed interventions included a mixed use of instruments, weak quantitative designs, small sample sizes, and a lack of theory-based studies.