BACKGROUND: Women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) suffer from psychological and physiological symptoms and side effects of therapy. When the treatment is non-curative, quality of life (QOL) is a major issue. This study aimed to examine the feasibility, safety, and effects of Medical Qigong (MQ: integration of gentle exercise and meditation) in improving QOL in women with MBC. METHOD: Women with MBC were randomized to a MQ group (n = 14) or meditation control group (n = 13). QOL, fatigue, stress, neuropathy symptoms and sexual function were measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-fatigue (FACT-F), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), neurotoxicity subscale of the FACT/GOG-NTX, and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ) subscales at pre-intervention and weeks 5 and 10. RESULTS: No serious adverse events were reported during or after MQ intervention. Sixty three percent of participants completed the study (MQ intervention (n = 9) and meditation control (n = 8)). There were no significant differences in overall QOL (p = 0.84), fatigue (p = 0.71), perceived stress level (p= 0.52), sexual satisfaction (p = 0.55), sexual activities (p = 0.95) and sexual relationship (p = 0.79) between the groups, although difference in neuropathic symptoms (p = 0.014) were significant. CONCLUSIONS: A MQ trial in women with MBC is feasible and safe. MQ may have the potential to relieve symptoms experienced by women with MBC and prevent deterioration of neuropathy. A larger study with adequate power to confirm these results and detect clinically relevant effects is needed.

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