Hospital Yoga Therapy Shows Immediate Symptom Relief for Cancer Patients

A retrospective observational analysis led by investigators at MD Anderson examined inpatient, one-on-one Yoga Therapy consultations and found measurable, immediate symptom improvements following a single session. Using data collected from January 2020 through March 2023, the study evaluated 130 referrals with pre-post measures available for 88 patients. On the modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (mESAS), mean reductions after one YT session were −1.62 for fatigue, −1.56 for anxiety, and −1.44 for pain. Effects were larger among patients who began with higher symptom scores of 4 or greater on the mESAS.

The study, published in Supportive Care in Cancer (Vol. 34, Issue 1), catalogs why clinicians referred patients for YT and who received consultations. Common referral reasons included fatigue, anxiety and stress reduction, and quality of life concerns. Most patients were female, the mean age was approximately 53 years, and a substantial portion of those treated had metastatic disease, underscoring the relevance of nonpharmacologic supportive care for seriously ill inpatients.

These findings matter for hospital programs, yoga teachers working in clinical settings, and patients considering complementary options for symptom control. The immediate, single-session reductions on a widely used patient-reported symptom tool indicate that brief, individualized YT consultations can produce tangible relief during a hospital stay. Programs that already provide complementary therapies can use this information to refine referral criteria, prioritize patients with higher baseline symptom burden, and justify integrating one-on-one YT into routine supportive care offerings.

The study is limited by its retrospective design and by having pre-post data for only 88 of 130 referrals, which constrains conclusions about durability and generalizability. Investigators recommend further research on longer-term effects and randomized designs to determine whether repeated YT sessions confer sustained benefits and how they compare with other interventions.

For clinicians and program directors, the results provide evidence to support pilot programs or quality improvement projects that track symptom scores before and after YT sessions. Yoga teachers working in hospitals can consider structured documentation with the mESAS to demonstrate immediate impact and identify patients most likely to benefit. Patients and families now have additional evidence that a single, tailored YT consultation in the inpatient setting can meaningfully reduce fatigue, anxiety, and pain during hospitalization, while ongoing research addresses longer-term outcomes.