Benefits of belly dance on quality of life, fatigue, and depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer - A pilot study of a non-randomised clinical trial.

Objective: To analyse the influence of belly dance on the quality of life, fatigue, and depressive symptoms in women with breast cancer.

Methods: Pilot study, with a design of non-randomised clinical trial study, analysing 19 women, with 8 allocated in the experimental group and 11 in the control group. The experimental group underwent 12 weeks of belly dance classes, with a frequency of twice a week and duration of 60 min for each lesson. Data collection was made through the use of questionnaires containing general information, quality of life (EORTC QLQ-BR23), fatigue (Piper Fatigue Scale) and depressive symptoms (BECK's Depression Inventory) applied on baseline and after intervention.

Results: The experimental group presented significant improvements after the intervention, with an increase in scores of the functional scale (p = 0.002): body image (p = 0.037) and sexual function (p = 0.027); and a decrease in scores of the symptomatic scale (p = 0.001): systemic therapy side effects (p = 0.005) and arm symptoms (p = 0.001) of quality of life, as well the decrease of fatigue (p = 0.036) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.002). No significant differences were observed in clinical and demographic information at baseline between the experimental and control groups. Also, there was no significant difference on quality of life, fatigue, and depressive symptoms between the two groups.

Conclusion: Belly dance can be a viable form of physical activity for women with breast cancer. It was associated with benefits for quality of life, fatigue, and depressive symptoms. Even though there were significant pre-post treatment differences, there was no significance difference between the experimental and control group; and therefore, treatment could have been due to natural history.