Application value of visual feedback guidance in breath holding training of breast cancer patients with radiotherapy

Objective  To observe the clinical effect of visual feedback combined with voice-guided training in patients with deep inspiratory breath holding (DIBH) radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer.

Methods  Thirty patients with left-sided breast cancer in Haining City People′s Hospital were randomly divided into visual feedback group and no visual feedback group, with 15 cases in each group. The visual feedback group was conducted with visual feedback function combined with voice-guided DIBH, while the no visual feedback group was only conducted with voice-guided DIBH. Patients in both groups were instructed to hold their breath through yoga breathing training before positioning. Respiratory curve of the patients during treatment was analyzed; the repeatability and stability of breath holding levels were compared between two groups; the number of breath holding and treatment time were compared between the two groups.

Results  The mean amplitude of breath holding was (28.92±8.18) mm in the visual feedback group and (24.68±10.64) mm in the no visual feedback group; the mean standard deviation of breath holding amplitude was (1.17±0.81) mm in the visual feedback group and (1.94±0.94) mm in the no visual feedback group; there were significant differences in the mean amplitude of breath holding and standard deviation between the two groups (P < 0.05). The difference between the maximum amplitude and minimum amplitude in the breath holding period was (1.89±1.41) mm in the visual feedback group and (4.56±2.80) mm in the no visual feedback group, and there was a significant difference between two groups (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in breath holding time between the two groups (P>0.05); the number of breath holding in the visual feedback group was significantly less than that in the no visual feedback group (P < 0.05); the total treatment time of the visual feedback group was significantly shorter than that of the no visual feedback group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion  For the patients with left-sided breast cancer, radiotherapy by visual feedback combined with voice-guided DIBH can improve the repeatability and stability of breath holding level, so it is worthy of clinical promotion.