After cancer treatment, a trial makes room for choice
The MATCH study compared two structured programmes while allowing participants to express a preference.
The MATCH study followed 587 distressed cancer survivors and compared mindfulness-based cancer recovery with tai chi and qigong. Participants chose a programme or opted for random assignment, then were assigned to start immediately or join a waitlist. The paper appeared online on September 16 and in the October 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Choice was part of the design
Both programmes showed improvements in fatigue and how much pain interfered with daily life compared with the waitlist. Tai chi and qigong also improved reported sleep quality. The two programmes did not differ significantly from each other, and preference status did not change outcomes. These findings concern structured programmes after cancer treatment, not an ordinary yoga class. They also do not show that choosing a practice itself caused better results.
Sources
YOGA+