Tai Chi Chuan Exercise for Patients with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Characteristics of the included studies.

Authors/year/country	Number of patients (TCC)	Number of patients (control)	Mean age of TCC group	Mean age of Control group	Status of cancer	Current treatment	Duration	Treatment group: intervention	Control group	Outcome measures/results
Campo et al., 2013, USA [14]	29	25	65.64 ± 7.15	66.54 ± 7.15	I–III	Treatment completed over 3 months before enrollment; undergone surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy	3 times 60 min, weekly for 12 weeks	TCC consisted of 19 specific simple, repetitive, nonstrenuous movements and 1 standing pose	60 min health education sessions occurred 3 times a week, over 12 weeks	Significant improvements in mental and physical benefits (SF-36) () and CESD ()
Janelsins et al., 2011, USA [7]	9	10	54.33 ± 10.64	52.7 ± 6.67	I–IIIb	Treatment completed more than 1 month previously but less than 30 months before enrollment; undergone surgery, adjuvant radiation, and chemotherapy	3 times 60 min, weekly for 12 weeks	10 min warm-up stretching and basic Chi Kung; 15-move short-form sequence of Yang-style TCC	Psychosocial therapy: open-ended format that placed strong emphasis on teaching behavioral coping strategies, peer support, and group cohesion	Significant improvement in quality of life (FACIT) () but not in the control group (); no significant improvements in both decreased IL-6 and IGF-1 ()
Mustian et al., 2004, USA [8]	11	10	52 ± 9	52 ± 9	0–III	Treatment completed 36 months before enrollment; undergone surgical treatment, adjuvant radiation, hormonal therapy, and/or chemotherapy	3 times 60 min, weekly for 3 months	10 min warm-up stretching and basic Chi Kung; 15-move short-form sequence of Yang-style TCC	Psychosocial therapy: open-ended format that placed strong emphasis on teaching behavioral coping strategies, peer support, and group cohesion (60 min, three times weekly for 12 weeks)	Significant improvements in both quality of life (FACIT-F) () and self-esteem (RSE) (); significant improvements in handgrip dynamometer strength (kg) (), elbow flexion (degrees) (), elbow extension (degrees) (), abduction (degrees) (), and horizontal adduction (degrees) ()
Mustian et al., 2006, USA [9]	11	10	52 ± 9	52 ± 9	I–IIIb	Treatment completed more than 1 month but less than 30 months before enrollment; undergone surgery, adjuvant radiation, hormonal therapy, and/or chemotherapy	3 times/weekly for 12 weeks	10 min warm-up stretching and basic Chi Kung; 15-move short-form sequence of Yang-style TCC	Psychosocial therapy: open-ended format that placed strong emphasis on teaching behavioral coping strategies, peer support, and group cohesion (60 min, three times weekly for 12 weeks)	No significant improvements in BMI (); significant improvements in handgrip dynamometer strength (kg) (), elbow flexion (degrees) (), elbow extension (degrees) (), abduction (degrees) (), and horizontal adduction (degrees) ()
Mustian et al., 2008, USA [10]	11	10	52 ± 9	Unclear	I–IIIb	Treatment completed more than 1 month but less than 30 months before enrollment; undergone surgery, adjuvant radiation, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy	3 times 60 min, weekly for 12 weeks	10 min warm-up stretching and basic Chi Kung; 15-move short-form sequence of Yang-style TCC	Psychosocial therapy: open-ended format that placed strong emphasis on teaching behavioral coping strategies, peer support, and group cohesion (60 min, three times weekly for 12 weeks)	Significant improvement in quality of life (FACIT) () but not in the control group (); significant improvements in handgrip dynamometer strength (kg) (), elbow flexion (degrees) (), elbow extension (degrees) (), abduction (degrees) (), and horizontal adduction (degrees) ()
Peppone et al., 2010, USA [15]	7	9	53.8	52.9	I–IIIb	Treatment completed more than 1 month previously but less than 30 months before enrollment; undergone surgery, hormonal therapy	2 times/day; 20–30 min/session for 12 weeks	10 min warm-up stretching and basic Chi Kung; 15-move short-form sequence of Yang-style TCC	Standard support therapy	No significant improvement in bone metabolism ()
Rausch, 2007, USA [16]	15	14	49 (33–69)	49 (33–69)	I-II	Treatment completed more than 1 month previously but less than 30 months before enrollment; undergone chemotherapy	60 min at first, 90 min from second session, one time weekly for 10 weeks	Short form of TCC involving eight movements from experienced instructor	Spiritual growth and standard health care	Significant improvement in depression symptom (CESD) (POMS) () and perceived stress (IES); significant improvement in quality of life (FACT-B) ()
Robins et al., 2013, USA [6]	37	36	50	50	I–IIIa	Receiving chemotherapy before and after enrollment	90 min each week for a total of 6 months	8 TCC movements focused on repetitive, attention, flexibility, and mind-body relaxation	Usual care	Significant improvement in perceived stress scores (IES) () and quality of life (FACT-B) () in the intervention group
Sprod et al., 2012, USA [4]	9	10	54.33 ± 3.55	52.7 ± 2.11	I–IIIb	Treatment completed more than 1 month but less than 30 months before enrollment; undergone surgery, adjuvant radiation, and/or chemotherapy	3 times/week; 60 min/session 12 weeks	10 min warm-up, 40 min of Yang-style TCC using the 15-move short form which is traditional 15 moves and 104-move long form, and 10 min breathing, imagery, and meditation	Standard support therapy	Significant improvement in quality of life, physical functioning (HRQOL) (), physical role limitations (HRQOL) (), social functioning (HRQOL) () (IL-6) (IGF-1)

Activities of daily living (ADL); body mass index (BMI); Center for Epidemiologic Studies depression scale (CESD); Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B); Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue survey (FACIT); health-related quality of life 36 (HRQOL); Impact of Events Scale (IES); interleukin-6 (IL-6); insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1); profile of mood states (POMS); Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE); World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF); SF-36 health survey (SF-36); Tai Chi Chuan (TCC).