Clinical trial · Interventional
The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Deep Breathing Exercises Applied to Palliative Care Cancer Patients on Dyspnea, Fatigue, and Self-Care Behaviors
NCT07619209CI-TRIAL-00113451recruitingN/AClinicalTrials.gov clinicaltrialsProvenance
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) exercises and deep breathing exercises on dyspnea, fatigue, and self-care behaviors among cancer patients receiving palliative care. Advanced-stage cancer patients frequently experience debilitating symptoms such as shortness of breath (dyspnea) and severe fatigue, which significantly impair their functional capacity and daily self-care activities. Participants in this study will be assigned to either a progressive muscle relaxation intervention group or a structured deep breathing exercise group. The study aims to determine whether these non-pharmacological relaxation techniques can effectively reduce the severity of dyspnea and fatigue, thereby improving the patients' overall self-care behaviors and physical comfort in a palliative care setting.
Conditions
Conditions (5)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancer | Malignant Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Fatigue | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Palliative Care | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Patient | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Progressive Muscle Relaxation | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Breathing Exercises | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (3)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Intervention Group 1: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- description
- Patients in this group will receive standard clinical care and a structured Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) program. In the initial session, patients will be provided with visual education on PMR exercises and trained on how to use an MP3 player containing guided exercise tracks for home practice. They will be requested to perform the PMR exercises once daily for a total duration of 6 weeks. For hospitalized patients, the exercises will be directly administered and supervised by the researcher. Follow-up after discharge will be maintained via weekly phone calls.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Intervention Group 2: Deep Breathing Exercises
- description
- Patients in this group will receive standard clinical care and a structured deep breathing exercise program, including pursed-lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing techniques. In the initial session, detailed practical training on these respiratory techniques will be provided by the researcher. Patients will be requested to perform these deep breathing exercises twice daily for a total duration of 6 weeks. For hospitalized patients, the exercises will be directly supervised by the researcher. Follow-up after discharge will be managed via weekly phone calls.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Being 18 years of age or older Being literate (able to read and write) Having no significant hearing or visual impairment that prevents communication or cooperation Receiving treatment in the palliative care unit Having a confirmed medical diagnosis of cancer Having a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 10 or higher Being able to communicate via telephone and SMS for post-discharge follow-up Having a Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Dyspnea Classification of Grade 3 or below Having an ECOG Performance Status Scale score of 3 or below Having a Hemoglobin (Hb) value of 8 gm/dL or higher Volunteering to participate in the study and providing informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Currently practicing or having recently practiced Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) or deep breathing exercises actively Having a primary respiratory system disease diagnosis (such as COPD, asthma, or pneumonia) Having a medical diagnosis of dementia, agitation, or delirium Receiving Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) support Being on active antipsychotic or sedative medical treatment Having a Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Dyspnea Classification of Grade 4 or higher
References
Publications (11)
- RESULTPatel MS. Strategies for the Optimal Management of Dyspnea in Cancer Patients With Advanced Illness. Oncology (Williston Park). 2018 Dec 17;32(12):583-5, 590. PMID 30632127
- RESULTOzhanli Y, Akyuz N. The Effect of Progressive Relaxation Exercise on Physiological Parameters, Pain and Anxiety Levels of Patients Undergoing Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study. J Perianesth Nurs. 2022 Apr;37(2):238-246. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2021.08.008. Epub 2021 Dec 10. PMID 34903440
- RESULTNese A, Samancioglu Baglama S. The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Deep Breathing Exercises on Dyspnea and Fatigue Symptoms of COPD Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study. Holist Nurs Pract. 2022 Jul-Aug 01;36(4):E18-E26. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000531. PMID 35708562
- RESULTHui D, Bohlke K, Bao T, Campbell TC, Coyne PJ, Currow DC, Gupta A, Leiser AL, Mori M, Nava S, Reinke LF, Roeland EJ, Seigel C, Walsh D, Campbell ML. Management of Dyspnea in Advanced Cancer: ASCO Guideline. J Clin Oncol. 2021 Apr 20;39(12):1389-1411. doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.03465. Epub 2021 Feb 22. PMID 33617290
- RESULTHui D, Maddocks M, Johnson MJ, Ekstrom M, Simon ST, Ogliari AC, Booth S, Ripamonti C; ESMO Guidelines Committee. Electronic address: clinicalguidelines@esmo.org. Management of breathlessness in patients with cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelinesdagger. ESMO Open. 2020 Dec;5(6):e001038. doi: 10.1136/esmoopen-2020-001038. No abstract available. PMID 33303485
- RESULTYilmaz CK, Kapucu S. The Effect of Progressive Relaxation Exercises on Fatigue and Sleep Quality in Individuals With COPD. Holist Nurs Pract. 2017 Nov/Dec;31(6):369-377. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000234. PMID 29028775
- RESULTKirca K, Kutluturkan S. The effect of progressive relaxation exercises on treatment-related symptoms and self-efficacy in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2021 Nov;45:101488. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101488. Epub 2021 Oct 2.