Peer-Reviewed Research Review: Effect of Medical Qigong on Cognitive Function, Quality of Life, and a Biomarker of Inflammation in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Peer-Reviewed Research Review: Effect of Medical Qigong on Cognitive Function, Quality of Life, and a Biomarker of Inflammation in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The study titled "Effect of Medical Qigong on Cognitive Function, Quality of Life, and a Biomarker of Inflammation in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial" by Byeongsang Oh et al. investigates the impact of Medical Qigong (MQ) on cognitive function (CF), quality of life (QOL), and inflammation in cancer patients. The research addresses the significant issue of cognitive dysfunction often experienced by cancer survivors, commonly known as "chemo-brain," and explores whether MQ can provide a beneficial intervention.
Purpose
The primary purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of MQ on self-reported cognitive function, quality of life, and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a biomarker of inflammation in cancer patients. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to provide evidence on whether MQ can improve these outcomes in a clinical setting.
Methods
Participants: The study involved 81 cancer patients who were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=37) or the control group (n=44). Participants were recruited from October 2007 to May 2008 and were stratified based on their treatment status (currently undergoing or completed chemotherapy).
Intervention: The intervention group participated in a 10-week MQ program, which included bi-weekly supervised sessions focusing on gentle exercise, meditation, and breathing techniques. The control group received standard care without additional interventions.
Measures: Self-reported cognitive function was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Cognitive Function (EORTC-CF) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog). Quality of life was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—General (FACT-G), and inflammation was assessed by measuring CRP levels.
Results
The results demonstrated significant improvements in the intervention group compared to the control group in several areas:
Cognitive Function: The MQ group showed a significant improvement in self-reported cognitive function, with higher scores in the EORTC-CF and all FACT-Cog subscales, indicating reduced perceived cognitive impairment and better cognitive abilities.
Quality of Life: Participants in the MQ group reported significantly better quality of life, with improvements across all FACT-G subdomains, including physical, emotional, social, and functional well-being.
Inflammation: There was a significant reduction in CRP levels in the MQ group, suggesting a decrease in systemic inflammation.
Discussion
The study suggests that MQ can be an effective complementary intervention for improving cognitive function and quality of life in cancer patients, potentially through the reduction of inflammation. The findings are consistent with previous research indicating that gentle physical activity and meditation can enhance psychological and physical well-being.
However, the study has several limitations:
Self-reported Measures: The reliance on self-reported measures for cognitive function may not fully capture the objective cognitive performance, and future studies should include neuropsychological tests.
Sample Size and Diversity: The sample size was relatively small and diverse in terms of cancer types and treatment stages, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Blinding: Blinding participants to the intervention was not possible, which might introduce bias due to participants' expectations.
Conclusion
This study provides preliminary evidence that Medical Qigong can positively impact cognitive function, quality of life, and inflammation in cancer patients. These findings support the inclusion of MQ as a complementary therapy in cancer care. Future research with larger, more homogenous samples and objective cognitive assessments is needed to further validate these results and understand the mechanisms underlying the observed benefits.
Reference
Oh, B., Butow, P. N., Mullan, B. A., Clarke, S. J., Beale, P. J., Pavlakis, N., Lee, M. S., Rosenthal, D. S., Larkey, L., & Vardy, J. (2012). Effect of medical Qigong on cognitive function, quality of life, and a biomarker of inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer, 20(6), 1235-1242.
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