How can tai chi or qigong help me? What the research says

Tai chi and qigong are forms of mind-body exercise and meditation that may help with symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatments.

How can tai chi or qigong help me? What the research says

We summarize the clinical evidence for each medical benefit here. We begin with our assessment of the strength of evidence within each category, followed by a brief summary of individual studies or reviews of several studies. In assessing the strength of evidence, we consider the study design, number of participants, and the size of the treatment effect (how much outcomes changed with treatment).

Our assessments of evidence for each medical benefit fall into one of these categories:

Strong evidence: consistent, significant effects in several large (or at least one very large) well designed clinical studies or at least two meta-analysesa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of clinical studies of moderate or better quality (or one large meta-analysis) finding similar results
Good evidence: significant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies ( randomized controlled trialsa study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds)
Modest evidence: significant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observationala type of study in which individuals are observed or certain outcomes are measured, but no attempt is made to affect the outcome (for example, no treatment is given); an example is a study that records people’s diets, but doesn’t try to alter their diets, and looks for patterns of disease or other outcomes related to different foods studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis
Preliminary evidence: significant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect
Weak evidence: one or more case studies, supported by animal evidence OR small treatment effects of limited clinical significance OR studies with no controls OR weak trends of effects
Insufficient evidence: preclinical evidence only OR clinical studies with such poor or unclear methodology that no conclusion can be drawn OR conflicting findings across clinical studies with no preponderance of evidence in one direction; conflicting evidence occurs when studies find conflicting effects (positive effect vs no effect or negative effect) with the same treatment and the same general study population (same cancer type, for example)

How We Rate Therapies

Learn more about how we research and rate therapies and practices.

As with other mind-body approachesapproaches that enhance your mind’s capacity to positively affect your body’s function and symptoms. Some interventions focus on calming your mind, improving focus, enhancing decision-making capacity, managing stress, or resolving conflict. Other interventions have a goal of relaxing both your mind and your body., assessing the effectiveness of tai chi and qigong in addressing cancer symptoms can be challenging due to the difficulty in creating controls and placebo conditions.¹Ruddy KJ, Stan DL, Bhagra A, Jurisson M, Cheville AL. Alternative exercise traditions in cancer rehabilitation. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 2017 Feb;28(1):181-192.

Optimizing your body terrain

Does tai chi or qigong promote an environment within your body that is less supportive of cancer development, growth, or spread? We present the evidence.

Optimizing Your Body Terrain

Research has only begun studying the connections between body terrain factors and cancer outcomes, and the oncology community is not yet sure how to interpret all the findings. If any of these terrain factors could be an issue for you, we recommend that you ask your doctor if you need any diagnostic tests to detect terrain imbalances or any adjustments to your lifestyle or medications.

We also recommend that you share with your doctor the information here about how tai chi or qigong might affect these terrain factors if you have any imbalances.

Blood sugar and insulin resistance

Good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of better blood sugar balance among people with or at risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes practicing tai chi

Hormone imbalance

Good evidence of better cortisol levels among people with cancer practicing either tai chi or qigong

Immune function

Good evidence of slightly better immune function among people with cancer and other people practicing tai chi or qigong

Inflammation

Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of a small effect on reducing inflammation among people practicing tai chi or qigong, not specific to people with cancer

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Is tai chi or qigong linked to fewer or less severe side effects or symptoms? Is it linked to less toxicity from cancer treatment? Does it support your quality of life or promote general well-being? We present the evidence.

For research not specific to people with cancer, see Are you a health professional? ›

Anxiety

Modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less anxiety among people with breast cancer practicing either tai chi or qigong

Blood-related side effects

Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of a smaller decrease in white blood cell counts and hemoglobin from chemotherapy among people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma participating in a Chan-Chuang qigong program

Preliminary evidence of less blood clotting among people with peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) practicing simplified tai chi exercises

Breathlessness

Preliminary evidence of less breathlessness among people with lung cancer practicing qigong

Changes in appetite

Modest evidence of better appetite among people with cancer practicing qigong

Cognitive difficulties

Modest evidence of better cognitive function among people with cancer practicing medical qigong

Depression or mood disturbance

Modest evidence of fewer depressive symptoms or mood disturbance among people with cancer practicing either tai chi or qigong

Fatigue

Strong evidenceconsistent, significant effects in several large (or at least one very large) well designed clinical studies or at least two meta-analyses of clinical studies of moderate or better quality (or one large meta-analysis) finding similar results (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less fatigue without regard to treatment phase among people with cancer practicing qigong or tai chi

Modest evidence of less fatigue during cancer treatment among people with breast cancer practicing tai chi

Preliminary evidence of less fatigue during chemotherapy among people with colorectal cancer practicing Baduanjin qigong

Good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less cancer-related fatigue after cancer treatment among people practicing tai chi

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Modest evidence of less diarrhea or irregular defecation among people with cancer practicing qigong

Lymphedema

Preliminary evidence of less lymphedema after surgery among people with breast cancer practicing qigong

Neurological symptoms

Modest evidence of less neuropathy among people with cancer practicing qigong

Pain

Modest evidence of less pain without regard to treatment phase among people with cancer practicing either tai chi or qigong

Preliminary evidence of less pain during chemotherapy among people practicing qigong or tai chi

Without regard to treatment phase: modest evidence of less pain among people with cancer practicing either tai chi or qigong

Less pain among people with breast cancer practicing tai chi chuan compared to non-exercise therapy in a meta-analysisa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of 15 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects⁴¹Luo XC, Liu J et al. Effect of tai chi chuan in breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Oncology. 2020 Apr 23;10:607.
Less pain among people with cancer practicing qigong compared to controls in a systematic review of 23 RCTs and controlled trialsa study design in which people are assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatment; assignment is not random, and so this is not as strong a study design as a randomized controlled trial, but still stronger than an uncontrolled trial of varying but generally insufficient quality⁴²Van Vu D, Molassiotis A, Ching SSY, Le TT. Effects of qigong on symptom management in cancer patients: a systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2017 Nov;29:111-121.

During cancer treatment: preliminary evidence of less pain during chemotherapy among people practicing qigong or tai chi

Less cancer-related pain during chemotherapy among people with breast cancer practicing qigong compared to controls in a small controlled trial⁴³Lee TI, Chen HH, Yeh ML. Effects of chan-chuang qigong on improving symptom and psychological distress in chemotherapy patients. American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2006;34(1):37-46.
Comparable levels of pain during the intermission of chemotherapy among people with peripherally inserted central catheter practicing 24 simplified tai chi exercises or grip strength exercises for 3 months in a small comparison trial⁴⁴Ding Y, Ji L, Hu Y. Effects of tai chi on catheter management and quality of life in tumor patients with PICC at the intermission of chemotherapy: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Annals of Palliative Medicine. 2020 Sep;9(5):3293-3303.

Physical function

Good evidence of better strength and function among people with cancer, mostly breast cancer, practicing tai chi

Preliminary evidence of better functional well-being among people with lung cancer practicing qigong

Quality of life or global health status

Good evidence of better quality of life without regard to treatment phase among people with cancer practicing qigong or tai chi

Modest evidence of better quality of life during conventional cancer treatment among people practicing tai chi

Weak evidenceone or more case studies, supported by animal evidence OR small treatment effects of limited clinical significance OR studies with no controls OR weak trends of effects (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of better health-related quality of life after completing cancer treatment among women with breast cancer practicing Tai Chi Chuan

No evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on quality of life among people with terminal cancer practicing tai chi or qigong in a combined analysis of studies

Sleep disruption

Modest evidence of less sleep disruption without regard to treatment phase among people with cancer practicing tai chi or qigong

Good evidence of better sleep quality during or after cancer treatment among people with cancer practicing tai chi or qigong

Without regard to treatment phase: modest evidence of less sleep disruption among people with cancer practicing tai chi or qigong

Less reported sleep difficulty among people with cancer practicing tai chi or qigong compared to controls (active intervention or usual care) in a meta-analysisa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of 22 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects and controlled trialsa study design in which people are assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatment; assignment is not random, and so this is not as strong a study design as a randomized controlled trial, but still stronger than an uncontrolled trial of mostly moderate quality⁶⁵Wayne PM, Lee MS et al. Tai chi and qigong for cancer-related symptoms and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Cancer Survivorship. 2018 Apr;12(2):256-267.
Better sleep quality scores among people with cancer practicing Baduanjin qigong exercise compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 10 RCTs of low quality⁶⁶Kuo CC, Wang CC et al. Clinical effects of Baduanjin qigong exercise on cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2021 Apr 8;2021:6651238.
Better sleep among people with cancer practicing qigong compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 10 RCTs⁶⁷Cheung DST, Takemura N et al. Effect of qigong for sleep disturbance-related symptom clusters in cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine. 2021 Jun 29;85:108-122.
No evidence of an effect on sleep quality among people with breast cancer practicing qigong compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 17 clinical trials of generally low quality⁶⁸Meng T, Hu SF et al. Qigong for women with breast cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2021 Aug;60:102743.
Improvements in sleep quality comparable to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) among people with breast cancer practicing tai chi chih in a small randomized comparison trial⁶⁹Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Carrillo C et al. Tai chi chih compared with cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of insomnia in survivors of breast cancer: a randomized, partially blinded, noninferiority trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017 Aug 10;35(23):2656-2665.

During or after cancer treatment: good evidence of better sleep quality during or after cancer treatment among people with cancer practicing tai chi or qigong

Better sleep scores during or after cancer treatment among people with breast cancer practicing tai chi or qigong compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 22 RCTs⁷⁰Kreutz C, Schmidt ME, Steindorf K. Effects of physical and mind-body exercise on sleep problems during and after breast cancer treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2019 Jul;176(1):1-15.
Better sleep quality during or after cancer treatment among people with cancer practicing 40–60 minutes of supervised tai chi 3 times a week for 8–12 weeks compared to controls in a systematic review of 13 RCTs and 1 controlled trial⁷¹Yang L, Winters-Stone K et al. Tai chi for cancer survivors: a systematic review toward consensus-based guidelines. Cancer Medicine. 2021 Sep 17.

Stress

Good evidence of lower markers of stress among people with cancer practicing tai chi or qigong

Other symptoms and side effects

Preliminary evidence of less cough among people with lung cancer practicing qigong

Symptoms and side effects not specific to cancer

Modest evidence of less body fat among people with or at risk of metabolic syndrome practicing tai chi

Preliminary evidence of less severe depression among people with clinical depression practicing qigong but not tai chi

Modest evidence of better sleep quality scores among older people practicing tai chi or qigong

Preliminary evidence of lower perceived stress levels in older adults practicing tai chi

Resources

Mayo Clinic

Tai chi: A gentle way to fight stress

SportsRec

The 8 Best Tai Chi Movements for Health

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Brief video discussing the use of tai chi to promote calm among people with cancer

Tai Chi Can Help Cancer Patients

Keep reading about tai chi or qigong

See all our reviews of complementary therapies

Author

Nancy Hepp, MS

Lead Researcher and Program Manager

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Reviewer

Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS

Senior Clinical Consultant

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Last update: February 24, 2023

Last full literature review: May 2021

CancerChoices provides information about integrative in cancer care, a patient-centered approach combining the best of conventional care, self care and evidence-informed complementary care in an integrated plan cancer care. We review complementaryin cancer care, complementary care involves the use of therapies intended to enhance or add to standard conventional treatments; examples include supplements, mind-body approaches such as yoga or psychosocial therapy, and acupuncture therapies and self-care lifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress practices to help patients and professionals explore and integrate the best combination of conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy and complementary therapies and practices for each person.

Our staff have no financial conflicts of interest to declare. We receive no funds from any manufacturers or retailers gaining financial profit by promoting or discouraging therapies mentioned on this site.

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References[+]

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Tai Chi or Qigong

How can tai chi or qigong help me? What the research says

How We Rate Therapies

Optimizing your body terrain

Optimizing Your Body Terrain

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Resources

Mayo Clinic

SportsRec

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Keep reading about tai chi or qigong

Author

Nancy Hepp, MS

Reviewer

Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS

Continue exploring

Choices in Complementary Care

Astragalus

Moving More