Yoga in Controlling Symptoms and Reducing Stress in Women With Ovarian Cancer or Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

- Determine the feasibility of implementing a restorative yoga intervention as a
complementary supportive therapy for women with ovarian or breast cancer.

- Measure changes in fatigue, psychosocial distress (anxiety, depression), psychological
well-being (positive emotions), and overall quality of life from baseline to completion
of the study treatment.

OUTLINE: This is a pilot study.

Patients undergo a 75-minute restorative yoga session once a week for 10 weeks.

Patients complete questionnaires regarding fatigue, psychological distress (anxiety,
depression), positive affect, and quality of life at baseline, immediately after the final
yoga session, and then at 2 months after the final yoga session.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer

- Must be 2-24 months post-primary treatment (e.g., surgery) for breast cancer
and/or have had a recurrence of breast cancer within the past 24 months

- Must be 3-24 months post-primary treatment (e.g., surgery) for ovarian cancer
and/or have had a recurrence of ovarian cancer within the past 24 months

- Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- Female

- Menopausal status not specified

- Zubrod performance status 0-3

- No medical contraindications

- Understands written and spoken English

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics