Stockton Group Researching Tai Chi as a Way to Combat Joint Pain for Breast Cancer Survivors

For some women, even defeating breast cancer is not the end.

Often, breast cancer survivors must take medication known as aromatase inhibitors, which are designed to prevent the cancer from returning, but may also cause severe joint pain, similar to osteoarthritis, according to Gregg J. Cardena, a student researcher in the doctor of physical therapy program at the

Cardena said that sometimes, the joint pain becomes so intense, the woman taking it must stop. Once treatment with the medicine halts, this can lead to the return of the deadly disease.

Cardena is part of a research team that hopes it has a solution for women with this dilemma, and it involves tai chi.

“We found that traditional exercise, jogging, weightlifting, helps joints stay stronger,” Cardena said.

Cardena said weight-bearing exercises have proven to be effective. Under the guidance of Stockton professor of physical therapy Mary Lou Galantino, the second-year physical therapy program student, along with Nicole Piela and Mary Callens, is working on a project he hopes will show tai chi is the type of weight-bearing exercise that can help counter the effects of aromatase inhibitors.

Tai chi is a type of internal Chinese martial art practiced, in part, for its health benefits. It has already been shown to reduce the risk of falls in healthy elderly patients and those recovering from chronic stroke, as well as heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and fibromylagia.

Along with yoga, tai chi has reduced levels low density liprotein when used for 12-14 weeks.

“A 2009 study found yoga to be as effective as exercise in fighting joint pain,” Cardena said.

Aromatase inhibitors stop the production of estrogen in post-menopausal women, according to breastcancer.org. By preventing the production of estrogen, the inhibitors reduce the opportunity to stimulate growth hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer cells.

There are three types of aromatase inhibitors: arimidex, aromasin and femara.

Cardena said that while there are other medications cancer survivors can use in place of aromatase inhibitors, those are the most commonly used medications.

Other side effects of the inhibitors include more heart problems, bone loss and broken bones than other medications. A 2008 study indicates that women who experience joint pain while taking the medication are less likely to see the cancer return.

The medication must be taken for five years, though, and some women may have trouble lasting that long without help.

“We want to find that tai chi can be as effective as yoga and exercise,” said Cardena, who hopes to be able to make a presentation to the American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections annual meeting in the future.

The group is in the recruitment phase of the project, and hopes to get enough volunteers by the time class resumes on Jan. 17 that they can begin the project in February. The research is expected to take eight weeks, and will be conducted at Gilda’s Club of South Jersey in Linwood and Kennedy Health Systems in Cherry Hill.

The group is aiming to get between 15 and 20 volunteers.

Those interested in participating may contact Galantino at MaryLou.Galantino@Stockton.edu or by phone at 609-652-4408.