Artikel
Kinesiology in the supportive care of patients with breast cancer - A pilot scheme
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Veröffentlicht: | 20. März 2006 |
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Introduction: Kinesiology (KY) is a complementary medical method uniting parts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and modern Western medicine. It is based upon a system of regaining balance. This is done, among other things, by physical exercises, nutrition and balanced hydration. KY already proved success in psychosomatic diseases and supportive care in paediatric oncology. Within the efforts to improve the psychooncologic options for breast cancer (BC) patients (pts.) a scientific pilot scheme was implemented to analyze the effects of KY in the psychosocial support of patients with BC in the adjuvant situation (BCA).
Methods: From July to September 2004 151 pts. with BCA treated at the Dpt. of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Erlangen, were asked to volunteer for a prospective study with four “supportive groups” freely to chose after primary therapy. There was one group for each KY (32 pts.), psychooncologic talking therapy (PSTT) (10 pts.), physiotherapy (PHT) (11 pts.) and observation only (O) (42 pts.). The groups were lead by a kinesiologist, a psychooncologist and two physiotherapists. The working period of each group was 8 weeks. Quality of life (QoL), anxiety (A) and depression (D) were measured at time points 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks with the help of Functional Assessment in Cancer Therapy-Tools (FACT) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A/D). At last overall effects were estimated by a free interview.
Results: 95 (63%) patients accepted to take part. There was an average distribution of marrital status and number of children. The measures of QoL, A and D could be improved in every group, also in the O-group. The best absolute improvement could be reached in the PSTT-group followed by the KY-group. Proportionally QoL- and D-scores improved best in the PSTT-group, second best in the KY-group. A-scores proportionally decreased most in the PSTT-group, second best in thePHT-group and third in the KY-group. The differences over the groups did not reach significance. Group results were rated solely positive in the final interviews in the non-O-groups.
Discussion: Value and reliability of a pilot scheme’s data with the given number of cases are restricted. Nevertheless results are promising for KY. It seems to be able to improve QoL, A and D in patients with BCA. KY could be approximately as effective as classic PSTT or PHT. KY seems at least as effective as PHT and better than O alone. Data may justify randomized trials.