The use of qigong for cancer patients at amiens university hospital's DISSPO (Interdisciplinary department of supportive care for haemato-oncology patients)

Qi gong is an ancient healing art that belongs to the traditional Chinese medicine. The translation of qi gong is "work on energy." This article provides a study on internal qi gong, in which simple, repeated and slow movements are performed in a state of deep concentration. This international literature review on the subject of qi gong in the context of cancer supportive care reports the positive effects on quality of life, fatigue, depression, psychological distress, mood and quality of sleep or cognition. Since March 2014, weekly qi gong workshops have been offered to our cancer patients. A total of 35 patients, with a median age of 55 years, 94% of whom were women, participated in 70 sessions over a span of 3 years. The main qualitative observations were an overall satisfaction with the workshop, which evoked a sense of well being, rediscovery of physical comfort and autonomy, and decrease in pain level, along with improved quality of sleep and informal bowel transit amelioration. In conclusion, qi gong seems to be a beneficial and relevant practice for patients with cancer. However, more clinical studies are required to prove the benefits of qi gong.