Advanced cancer pilot finds Tai Chi and mindful yoga feasible
A small randomized pilot found good attendance and acceptance, alongside preliminary improvements in depression and balance. Its main contribution is feasibility evidence, with effectiveness still requiring confirmation.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Participants generally accepted the Tai Chi and mindful yoga programs, and attendance was high. Both exercise groups also showed preliminary reductions in depression and improvements in balance compared with the written-guidance group. Because this was a small pilot, the results support further testing without establishing how reliably either program improves these outcomes.
The abstract does not give effect sizes or confidence intervals for the clinical outcomes. A pilot with few participants can assess feasibility, but larger trials are needed to confirm the preliminary outcome patterns.
How feasibility was assessed
Researchers used questionnaires and interviews to examine whether the programs were workable and acceptable. Attendance, self-practice, satisfaction and credibility all contributed to that assessment, so feasibility covered more than simply whether participants completed outcome tests.
Preliminary outcome signals
The exercise groups showed improvements in depression and balance at both follow-ups relative to control. Mindful yoga also showed later improvements in mindfulness and spiritual outcomes, but the abstract does not establish that yoga outperformed Tai Chi.
The original publication
Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Tai Chi versus mindful yoga on psycho-spiritual distress in patients with advanced cancer: A mixed-method pilot randomized controlled trial.
Takemura N, Kwok JY, Chan WL et al.
Eur J Oncol Nurs · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41628552
- Record checked
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