Effects of Qigong Training on Health-Related Quality of Life, Functioning, and Cancer-Related Symptoms in Survivors of Nasopharyngeal Cancer: A Pilot Study

Abstract EN

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Qigong intervention on quality of life (QOL), health-related functioning, and cancer-related symptoms in survivors of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).

Twenty-five survivors of NPC were included in the experimental group (mean age ± SD: 55.4 ± 7.5 years) and 27 in the control group (mean age ± SD: 58.7 ± 9.5 years).

The experimental group underwent a weekly 1.5-hour Qigong training program and an identical home program (three times/week) for six months.

The control group received no training.

Global health status/QOL, functioning, and cancer-related symptoms were assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires before training began, after three months of Qigong training, at the end of the six-month Qigong intervention (i.e., posttest), and six months posttest.

Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no statistically ( P > 0.05 ) or clinically significant improvement in global health status/QOL, functioning, or symptoms in either group.

The experimental group had 45.8% fewer sense-related (smell and taste) problems ( P < 0.05 ) but 98.6% more speech-related problems ( P < 0.05 ) than the control group after the Qigong intervention.

Qigong training resulted in no apparent improvement in health-related QOL, functionality, or cancer-related symptoms in cancer-free survivors of NPC, except for a possible reduction in smell- and taste-related problems.