Ho, R.T., Fong, T.C., Cheung, I.K., Yip, P.S., & Luk, M.Y. (2016). Effects of a short-term dance movement therapy program on symptoms and stress in patients with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy: A randomized, controlled, single-blind trial. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 51, 824–831. 

To investigate the effectiveness of dance movement therapy on treatment-related symptoms

The program consisted of six 1.5-hour sessions of dance movement therapy twice weekly for three weeks during radiotherapy. Therapy involved use of stretching, movement to exercise upper extremities, improvisational dance, and expressive movement. Participants were encouraged to share experience and communicate and to relate movement to personal experiences of breast cancer and treatment. Patients were randomized to the intervention or a wait-list control group.

• N = 139 (ITT analysis), 127 with complete data   
• MEAN AGE = 49 years
• FEMALES: 100%
• CURRENT TREATMENT: Combination radiation and chemotherapy
• KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: All had breast cancer, and about 80% were also receiving chemotherapy
• OTHER KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: Over half were married, and 65% had education at secondary level or below.

• SITE: Single site   
• SETTING TYPE: Outpatient    
• LOCATION: Hong Kong

• PHASE OF CARE: Active antitumor treatment

• Single-blind randomized controlled trial

• Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
• Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)
• Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)
• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

All patients showed decline in fatigue scores over time with no difference between groups. Sleep disturbance declined in the study group and increased slightly in the control group, but differences were not significant. Anxiety and depression remained stable in both groups. Pain severity and pain interference declined in the dance group and increase in the control group (p < 0.05). The size of effect for pain was moderate (d = 0.35). Perceived stress declined in the dance group compared to controls (p < 0.05). The program had a high completion rate.

Participation in this group dance movement therapy was associated with decline in pain severity and interference.

• Risk of bias (no appropriate attentional control condition)
• There is no description of the type of pain, use of any pain medications, or other interventions in either group. The group interaction may have had as much to do with any reduction in symptoms as the actual dance activities.

The dance movement therapy program used here combined rhythmic and expressive movement with group sharing and support. The contribution of each of these components cannot be differentiated, but results showed positive benefits in terms of pain and perceived stress. There were a number of study limitations; however, the program completion rate was high, and there were no adverse effects, suggesting that this type of intervention can be practical to provide during active radiotherapy treatment.