The Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) has conducted two research projects in collaboration with Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation, Bangalore on application of Yoga in improving quality of life in cancer patients. The details of the projects and its findings are:
(i) Integrated approach of Yoga Therapy in the Management of cancer: The study showed better coping response; decreased distress, reduced side effects; increased natural killer cell counts, increased pain threshold etc.
(ii) Effect of integrated approach of yoga therapy for metastatic breast cancer patients and study of DNA repair mechanisms relevant to cancer: The study showed significant decrease in anxiety, depression, perceived stress, pain, insomnia fatigue. It also showed improvement in natural cell killer counts and early morning cortisol level.
Ministry of AYUSH has invited project proposals from both public and private research institutes under its Extra Mural Research (EMR) scheme for specific diseases namely, (i) Cancer and (ii) mental & cognitive disorders; to enable in deciding further promotion of the said technique across the country.
In addition, the Ministry of AYUSH through its three research organizations, namely, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) and Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) has launched a programme to integrate Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani with National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). Yoga is a part as adjuvant therapy.