Examining Yoga as a Complementary Treatment for Conventional Cancer Care

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in standard medical care, specifically in cancer populations. Yoga, a mind-body practice, is one of the most common modalities of CAM therapy used in the United States. Both healthy individuals and diverse patient populations utilize the fundamental practices of yoga. Yoga therapy, a broad based term used to define yoga in the medical context, helps to characterize this complementary treatment method. Three research studies highlighting the potentiality of yoga as an intervention program for women with breast cancer will be examined in this paper. Current research being conducted at the University of Texas M.D Anderson Cancer Center will also be featured in this paper. Following a detailed review of existing literature and a yoga teacher training program, this paper will conclude with an originally designed yoga class series that can be completed by women with breast cancer in their homes. In sum, the information featured in this paper will be the catalyst for future research and investigation into this unique therapy modality.