Yoga and breast cancer-related lymphoedema
Could a yoga program help improve symptoms and self-management for women diagnosed with breast cancer-related lymphoedema?
Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) often requires lifelong management to improve swelling, reduce associated discomfort or loss of shoulder movement, and to decrease the risk of infection. A specialised yoga sequence for lymphoedema may help with symptoms, improve quality of life, and help participants to develop self-efficacy by providing an approach that they can continue to use for well-being into survivorship.
Researchers at NICM Health Research Institute are currently recruiting participants for a study investigating whether yoga can reduce symptoms and help women better manage BCRL.
Who can join?
- Women aged over 18 years living in Australia, who:
- Have been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer-related lymphoedema.
- Have adequate general health to undertake yoga.
- Are not currently doing yoga more than once a week.
- Are able to read and understand English.
- Have regular access to a web camera and reliable internet.
What's involved?
Participants will be asked to:
- Read the participant information sheet and provide consent.
- After an initial assessment and consent, participants will be allocated to either a yoga or a wait-list group.
- All participants will be required to attend an initial individual intake session (one-hour duration) with a qualified yoga teacher and one online group class per week for 12-weeks. Each class will run for approximately one hour.
- Those allocated to the wait-list group will be offered the opportunity at the end of the waiting period to participate in the yoga program.
- All participants, yoga and wait-list groups, will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires at week one and 12 of the study period.
- All yoga sessions will be conducted online using a video conferencing platform called Zoom.
What are the benefits of participating?
- Participants may experience a reduction in severity of your symptoms associated with breast cancer-related lymphoedema.
- Participants will help further research on the use of yoga in the management of BCRL in people diagnosed with cancer.
Interested in participating in this study?
For more details about the study, please read the following information before deciding whether to participate.
- Participant Information Sheet and Consent Form (PDF, 153.85 KB) (opens in a new window)
If you would like to register your interest and assess your eligibility to participate in this study, please complete the following form.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Suzanne Grant
NICM Health Research Institute, Chief Investigator
e. s.grant@westernsydney.edu.au
Human Research Ethics Committee Approval: This trial has been approved by Western Sydney University Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number: H14194) and St Vincent’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number: 2020/ETH02315).
This study is supported by NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University and the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.
Chief Investigator: Dr Suzanne Grant, NICM Health Research Institute.
