Pain after breast cancer treatment affects up to 58% of women treated, with 25% reporting moderate to severe pain at long-term follow-up. Improved pain care interventions are needed to enhance patient outcomes and improve quality of life after breast cancer treatment. Integrating yoga with pain education holds potential value as part of pain care. We conducted a feasibility study to assess preliminary pain and quality of life outcomes from a 6-week integrated pain education and yoga program for women with persistent pain after breast cancer treatment. Interviews were conducted to assess the acceptability of the intervention. Pain intensity and interference, pain catastrophizing, pain self-efficacy, and quality of life questionnaires were compared before and immediately after the intervention. Semistructured interviews with thematic analyses were conducted to explore the experiences of participants, specifically the acceptability and appropriateness of the intervention. Six women (age 44-54) enrolled in the program. Pain severity, pain interference, and role function demonstrated significant differences postintervention (p < 0.05). Pain self-efficacy, the helplessness subscale of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, global health status, and emotional function showed trends toward improvement. Five main themes emerged from qualitative analyses: (1) acceptability of the intervention; (2) pain reconceptualization; (3) development of pain self-efficacy and improved pain experiences; (4) improved mindful body attunement and stress-reduction strategies; and (5) increased commitment to adherence to endocrine therapy. An integrated pain education and yoga program for pain following breast cancer treatment is feasible, with preliminary data indicating positive pain-related outcomes. Future fully powered randomized controlled trials are warranted.
Moloney et al. (Mon,) studied this question.