311 Neuro-Oncology Practice 6(4), 311–320, 2019 | doi:10.1093/nop/npy052 | Advance Access date 20 December 2018 © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology and the European Association of Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. Pilot randomized, controlled trial of a dyadic yoga program for glioma patients undergoing radiotherapy and their family caregivers Because of the general poor prognosis of adult glioma, managing patients’ symptoms and quality of life (QOL) is highly relevant. Common symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, and depression as well as cognitive/neuro- logical defcits as a result of the disease and its treatment. 1–5 More specifcally, fatigue and sleep disturbances are Kathrin Milbury , Jing Li, Shiao-Pei Weathers, Smitha Mallaiah, Terri Armstrong, Yisheng Li, Eduardo Bruera, and Lorenzo Cohen Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (K.M.); Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (S.M., E.B., L.C.); Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (J.L.); Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (S-P.W.); Neuro- Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (T.A.); Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (Y.L.) Corresponding Author: Kathrin Milbury, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Behavioral Science, 1515 Pressler St, Houston, TX 77230-1439, USA (kmilbury@mdanderson.org). Abstract Background. While the use of behavioral medicine in managing glioma patients’ symptoms is not well studied, the high symptom burden in patients and their family caregivers is well established. We conducted a pilot randomized, controlled trial to examine the feasibility and preliminary effcacy of a dyadic yoga (DY) intervention as a sup- portive care strategy. Methods. Glioma patients undergoing radiotherapy and their caregivers were randomized to a 12-session DY or waitlist control (WLC) group. Prior to radiotherapy and randomization, both groups completed measures of cancer- related symptoms (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Brain Tumor module), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression measure), fatigue (Brief Fatigue Inventory), and overall quality of life (QOL; Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form survey). Dyads were reassessed at the last day of radiotherapy. Results. Twenty patients (mean age: 46 years, 50% female, 80% WHO grade IV and caregivers (mean age: 50 years, 70% female, 50% spouses) participated in the trial. A priori feasibility criteria were met regarding consent (70%), adherence (88%), and retention (95%) rates. Controlling for relevant covariates, change score analyses revealed clinically signifcant improvements for patients in the DY compared with the WLC group for overall cancer symptom severity (d = 0.96) and symptom interference (d = 0.74), depressive symptoms (d = 0.71), and mental QOL (d = 0.69). Caregivers in the DY group reported clinically signifcant improvements in depressive symptoms (d = 1.12), fatigue (d = 0.89), and mental QOL (d = 0.49) relative to those in the WLC group. Conclusion. A DY intervention appears to be a feasible and benefcial symptom and QOL management strategy for glioma patients undergoing radiotherapy and their caregivers. An effcacy trial with a more stringent control group is warranted. Clinical Trial Number. NCT02481349 Keywords glioma | patient-caregiver dyads | pilot randomized, controlled trial | quality of life | yoga. Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/nop/article/6/4/311/5254228 by guest on 03 May 2022