The benefits of medical qigong in patients with cancer: a descriptive pilot study

Medical Qigong (MQ) is a mind-body exercise that includes movement and meditation and is beneficial in reducing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anxiety, stress, pain, and incidence of falls. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether patients with cancer and survivors who participated in an MQ class experienced a change in fatigue, depression, and sleep from a preintervention evaluation to a postintervention evaluation. Participants were patients diagnosed with cancer who participated in MQ classes. Some were actively undergoing cancer treatment (e.g., surgery, hormone therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy) and some were receiving no treatment. Patients diagnosed with cancer and enrolled in an MQ class were invited to participate. A packet of surveys was completed before the first class and before the final class. Scores showed a reduced depression score after completing the five-week MQ course. Those findings indicate that MQ is helpful in reducing some of the problems associated with cancer and cancer treatment.