The Effect of Progressive Relaxation Exercises on Fatigue, Nausea and Vomiting in Patients with Breast Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

Abstract

Objective: The research was designed experimentally to evaluate the effectiveness of progressive relaxation exercises (PRE) in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced fatigue, nausea and vomiting in patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: 50 patients diagnosed with breast cancer received doxorubicin and taxane-based treatment who applied to the chemotherapy unit of a private hospital were participated in the study. 24 patients were included in the experimental group, and 26 patients were included in the control group, who were selected by simple random method and agreed to want to get in the research. The participants in the intevention group were provided with one-to-one relaxation training accompanied by Relaxation Exercises CD of the Turkish Psychological Association before the initiation of treatment. Data were collected using “Patient Identification Form”, “Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS)” and “Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching (RINVR)” forms. Results: Most of the patients who attended in the research were married (76%) and the mean age was 52.72±10.17. A total of 54% of the participants received doxorubicin-based treatment and 46% of them was on taxane-based treatment. When we investigated the effect of PRE on fatigue, nausea and vomiting, it was found out that fatigue and “nausea, vomiting and retching (NVR) experience, occurrence and distress” scores on the day of treatment were significantly lower than those of the other five days, but there wasn’t difference in five-day symptom scores between the groups. Conclusion: It was concluded that PRE were not an effective approach in decreasing the symptoms of fatigue, nausea, vomiting in the research group patients with breast cancer and receiving chemotherapy.