Oskarström, Sweden 24-10-25
Review of: "Yoga as a complementary therapy for cancer patients: from clinical observations to biochemical mechanisms"
Blockhuys, S. and Wittung-Stafshede, P.
Complementary Medicine Research (Karger), 18 July 2024
https://doi.org/10.1159/000540213
Introduction
In the article "Yoga as a complementary therapy for cancer patients: from clinical observations to biochemical mechanisms", Stéphanie Blockhuys, senior cancer researcher at the University of Gothenburg, and Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede, professor at Chalmers University of Technology, explore the potential of yoga as a complementary therapy for cancer patients. The article, published in Complementary Medicine Research (Karger), highlights both the clinical observations and the biochemical mechanisms behind yoga's effects, in particular how yoga can help improve cancer patients' quality of life.
Stéphanie Blockhuys is also trained in MediYoga, which makes her particularly committed to continuing to contribute to research on oncological yoga therapy. Her work is an important bridge between the practice and science of yoga as part of integrative medicine.
Methodological quality
The article is well-structured and based on a solid foundation of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard in clinical research. By analysing the effects of yoga on specific areas such as stress, anxiety and cancer-related fatigue, the authors provide a clear picture of how yoga can be used in cancer rehabilitation.
Nevertheless, there are methodological challenges in the existing literature, particularly related to the lack of standardisation and varying definitions of yoga. This ambiguity makes it difficult to compare results across studies and evaluate yoga as a reliable complementary treatment method in oncology. This underlines the need for a clearly defined framework for yoga in healthcare, which the MOSI (MediYoga Standardised Intervention) framework is designed to address.
Outcome
The results of the studies discussed in the article are overwhelmingly positive. Yoga was found to improve cancer patients' quality of life, reduce levels of anxiety and depression, and help reduce cancer-related fatigue. Biochemically, yoga's ability to balance the autonomic nervous system is highlighted, with cortisol levels reduced and heart rate variability (HRV) improved, among other things. The article also shows a potential effect of yoga on the immune system, with increased T-cell activity and reduced inflammation, which could support cancer patients' recovery.
Despite these positive results, the article points out that there is no strong evidence that yoga directly affects cancer pathophysiology or treatment outcomes such as survival. Further research is needed to understand the biochemical effects of yoga in this context. The article emphasises the need for more and larger clinical studies to better define the role of yoga in cancer rehabilitation.
Conclusions
The article concludes that yoga can serve as an effective complementary therapy for cancer patients, particularly in reducing psychological symptoms such as stress and anxiety, as well as improving patients' overall quality of life. At the same time, it highlights that research still has methodological gaps that need to be addressed, especially through standardisation and uniform definitions of yoga interventions.
Comment from Pär Krutzén, Executive Director, SIMY (Swedish Institute Medical Yoga)
This article clearly highlights the challenges and opportunities of integrating yoga into cancer care, particularly in cancer rehabilitation. Despite extensive research showing positive effects, methodological difficulties remain due to variations in yoga practice and lack of standardisation, making it difficult to establish clear guidelines.
At SIMY, we have worked for more than two decades to develop and implement the Swedish yoga form MediYoga, and have developed the evidence-based MOSI (MediYoga Standardised Intervention) framework. MOSI aims to address these challenges by providing a structured, secularised and reproducible model to ensure consistent outcomes, strengthening the evidence base for yoga in healthcare.
This work is in line with the ASCO clinical guidelines for integrative oncology, where yoga is recommended as a method to reduce cancer-related fatigue, anxiety and depression. The RCC national cancer rehabilitation care programme also highlights the need for holistic, personalised interventions that support the patient's physical, psychological and social wellbeing. MOSI offers a validated method for integrating evidence-based yoga into care plans in a safe and effective way.
Through this article, we at SIMY hope that more researchers, policy makers and healthcare providers will become aware of MediYoga MOSI and its potential in integrative oncology and cancer rehabilitation. Our work is already showing good results in Swedish health care, and we are convinced that more actors in health care can benefit from this work.
We encourage researchers to consider the inclusion of MediYoga MOSI in future research projects and healthcare providers to train in the method, not only to support patient wellbeing but also to be part of a larger movement towards more integrative and holistic care. We at SIMY welcome the collaboration and look forward to strengthened cooperation between the institute, academia and healthcare to further promote integrative oncology and holistic health in Sweden and internationally.
In conclusion, I would like to thank and congratulate the authors for a job well done, contributing to the development of stronger evidence for yoga. Thank you very much!
Yours sincerely
Mr Pär Krutzén
Executive Director
SIMY - Swedish Institute Medical Yoga
Tel: 0768-954258
www.simy.se
About SIMY - Swedish Institute of Medical Yoga
SIMY is a national knowledge centre for evidence-based yoga and a non-profit organisation that has worked since 1997 to develop and integrate yoga into the Swedish healthcare system. SIMY is responsible for both MediYoga and the conceptual framework MOSI (MediYoga Standardised Intervention), which has been used as a structured and evidence-based method in healthcare to manage various chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, stress-related disorders, pain conditions, and mental illness. With proven outcomes in these areas, the MOSI framework offers a safe and standardised way to integrate yoga into clinical care.
SIMY's work is based on close collaboration with academia, research institutes and healthcare providers, ensuring that all developments of yoga in healthcare are grounded in science and best practice. Being a not-for-profit organisation allows SIMY to focus on quality and scientific validation rather than commercial interests.
MOSI and MediYoga as brands
Both MOSI and MediYoga are registered trademarks protected under intellectual property law principles. This trade mark protection acts as a quality assurance, ensuring that the practices used and disseminated under these names are of the highest standard and scientifically sound. The MOSI framework is specifically designed to be used as a structured and secure tool for integrating yoga into care plans, meaning that it is flexible enough to be adapted to different care settings but at the same time standardised to maintain consistency and security.
SIMY continues to contribute to the development of integrative medicine through national and international collaborations, and is continuously working to strengthen the evidence base for yoga in healthcare.
Please visit www.simy.se for more information.
