Effects of Qigong Training on Health-Related Quality of Life, Functioning, and Cancer-Related Symptoms in Survivors of Nasopharyngeal Cancer: A Pilot Study

Table 3

EORTC scores measured at four time points.

Qigong group (𝑛=25)

Control group (𝑛=27)

Group × time interaction

Group effect

Time effect

Pre

Mid

Post

FU

Pre

Mid

Post

FU

Effect size

𝑃

Effect size

𝑃

Effect size

𝑃

EORTC QLQ-C30

Global health status/QOL

61.81 ± 22.10

63.19 ± 24.32

61.81 ± 26.57

66.67 ± 27.47

58.65 ± 21.01

62.50 ± 18.30

66.03 ± 18.55^a

67.95 ± 16.45^a

0.143

0.067

<0.001

0.945

0.213

0.011*

Functional scales (higher scores = higher functions)

0.387

0.189

0.143

0.221

0.410

0.134

Physical functioning

78.06 ± 16.85

80.56 ± 15.22

79.17 ± 13.94

78.89 ± 15.06

76.67 ± 13.10

78.72 ± 12.22

77.18 ± 12.53

77.44 ± 13.21

Role functioning

80.56 ± 22.88

81.25 ± 21.03

84.03 ± 21.69

86.11 ± 21.80

87.18 ± 19.04

86.54 ± 18.27

85.90 ± 18.07

84.62 ± 21.56

Emotional; functioning

76.74 ± 19.19

79.51 ± 19.35

78.13 ± 20.24

81.60 ± 18.39

77.24 ± 20.35

76.28 ± 18.96

78.53 ± 19.32

80.45 ± 18.40

Cognitive; functioning

65.97 ± 23.30

65.28 ± 20.21

68.75 ± 24.23

69.44 ± 21.23

69.23 ± 24.81

67.95 ± 26.63

72.44 ± 22.58

69.87 ± 24.50

Social functioning

74.31 ± 25.53

75.69 ± 26.00

77.08 ± 27.72

79.86 ± 26.46

86.54 ± 18.87

87.18 ± 17.20

85.90 ± 16.12

83.33 ± 17.00

Symptom scales (higher scores = more symptoms)

0.667

0.123

0.190

0.425

0.659

0.140

Fatigue

37.50 ± 20.67

36.11 ± 18.89

34.72 ± 20.54

33.80 ± 21.85

35.47 ± 18.06

34.19 ± 17.76

38.03 ± 17.26

35.47 ± 19.88

Nausea and vomiting

6.94 ± 12.93

5.56 ± 11.70

4.17 ± 10.13

4.17 ± 10.13

5.13 ± 11.32

5.13 ± 11.32

5.13 ± 11.32

5.77 ± 11.49

Pain

32.64 ± 24.81

31.94 ± 23.01

29.86 ± 24.07

25.69 ± 24.56

25.64 ± 20.13

24.36 ± 19.57

26.92 ± 18.90

27.56 ± 18.82

Dyspnea

31.94 ± 25.02

29.17 ± 20.41

23.61 ± 20.80

23.61 ± 20.80

26.92 ± 24.98

23.08 ± 20.59

24.36 ± 22.23

25.64 ± 21.72

Insomnia

29.17 ± 22.66

27.78 ± 27.22

26.39 ± 25.97

20.83 ± 21.56

34.62 ± 30.52

33.33 ± 31.27

43.59 ± 32.34

42.31 ± 34.71

Appetite loss

25.00 ± 28.23

22.22 ± 28.94

18.06 ± 25.97

15.28 ± 25.97

12.82 ± 19.04

14.10 ± 21.44

15.38 ± 23.53

12.82 ± 23.24

Constipation

15.28 ± 21.93

20.83 ± 23.70

19.44 ± 27.66

15.28 ± 24.04

21.79 ± 22.98

17.95 ± 19.39

17.95 ± 21.56

14.10 ± 19.26

Diarrhea

15.28 ± 19.61

8.33 ± 14.74

9.72 ± 18.33

12.50 ± 19.19

12.82 ± 19.04

14.10 ± 19.26

14.10 ± 21.44

11.54 ± 18.72

Financial difficulties

26.39 ± 31.05

26.39 ± 32.57

20.83 ± 33.78

19.44 ± 32.48

12.82 ± 19.04

14.10 ± 19.26

15.38 ± 16.95

17.95 ± 19.39

EORTC QLQ-H&N35

Symptom scales (higher scores = more symptoms)

0.804

0.317

0.572

0.003*

0.804

0.317

Pain

12.68 ± 13.02

12.68 ± 13.73

14.13 ± 16.94

10.87 ± 12.67

17.75 ± 24.27

19.20 ± 17.84

19.20 ± 16.56

18.48 ± 16.47

Swallowing

34.03 ± 25.05

31.94 ± 26.66

34.38 ± 25.81

34.72 ± 24.90

29.32 ± 18.69

28.70 ± 17.95

28.09 ± 17.01

26.23 ± 16.13

Sense problems

22.22 ± 18.82

21.53 ± 17.36^b

18.75 ± 17.93^b

16.67 ± 14.74^b

33.95 ± 28.67

35.80 ± 26.03

34.57 ± 26.52

33.95 ± 25.94

Speech problems

29.17 ± 24.91

28.24 ± 25.38^b

27.78 ± 25.80^b

23.61 ± 23.47

18.52 ± 22.85

14.81 ± 19.49

13.99 ± 19.14

12.76 ± 18.92

Trouble with social; eating

39.24 ± 32.37

36.81 ± 31.94

35.07 ± 33.24

33.33 ± 32.88

27.78 ± 29.87

25.93 ± 25.04

27.47 ± 24.11

25.62 ± 24.88

Trouble with social; contact

21.45 ± 24.37

19.13 ± 21.40

18.84 ± 23.32

16.81 ± 22.64

12.46 ± 20.03

13.33 ± 19.07

9.28 ± 18.83

9.57 ± 19.47

Less sexuality

39.86 ± 33.99

36.23 ± 30.84

34.06 ± 30.76

39.86 ± 34.36

35.51 ± 29.86

42.03 ± 30.51

46.38 ± 34.07

46.38 ± 34.07

Teeth

44.44 ± 27.22

38.89 ± 23.40

37.50 ± 28.34

38.89 ± 27.22

39.51 ± 30.71

34.57 ± 31.33

38.27 ± 32.95

43.21 ± 33.10

Opening mouth

36.11 ± 30.95

30.56 ± 30.95

33.33 ± 31.08

31.94 ± 30.26

28.40 ± 30.25

32.10 ± 32.66

34.57 ± 32.66

32.10 ± 29.93

Dry mouth

65.28 ± 25.02

56.94 ± 23.01

55.56 ± 23.40

55.56 ± 23.40

62.96 ± 29.72

61.73 ± 28.80

62.96 ± 28.24

56.79 ± 30.40

Sticky saliva

44.44 ± 32.10

38.89 ± 30.56

38.89 ± 30.56

38.89 ± 30.56

48.15 ± 36.20

50.62 ± 35.05

50.62 ± 28.30

50.62 ± 31.17

Coughing

25.00 ± 22.52

23.61 ± 23.01

25.00 ± 24.57

25.00 ± 24.57

29.63 ± 31.12

19.75 ± 24.91

17.28 ± 16.97

18.52 ± 19.25

Felt ill

33.33 ± 20.60

28.99 ± 25.23

24.64 ± 27.00

24.64 ± 25.06

30.43 ± 28.27

31.88 ± 30.94

36.23 ± 28.27

33.33 ± 22.47

Pre: pretest (baseline); mid: midintervention test (3 months); post: posttest (6 months); FU: follow-up test (12 months).
Mean ± SD presented the continuous variables.
The effect sizes are in partial eta-squared.
Group-by-time interaction, group and time effects.
*Significant difference at 𝑃<0.05.
Within group (alpha adjusted to 0.008 due to six paired comparisons).
^aSignificant difference at 𝑃<0.008 compared with the pretest values.
Between groups.
^bDifference significant at 𝑃<0.05 compared with the control group.