Meta-analysis of mindfulness-based stress reduction for cancer-related fatigue: evidence from randomized controlled trials and implications for clinical practice.
Psychology, Health & Medicine February 28, 2026 Lin Wang, Zehao Yan, Xinran Zhang et al.
A meta-analysis of 7 controlled trials involving 570 cancer patients found that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) significantly reduced cancer-related fatigue compared to conventional care, with a combined effect size of -1.15 (95% CI [-1.56, -0.74]). Heterogeneity was high (I²=79%, p<0.001). The analysis noted slight publication bias and moderate study quality, with insufficient reporting of allocation concealment and blinding. The authors conclude that MBSR shows promise for alleviating fatigue but call for larger, more rigorous trials to confirm long-term effects and explore neurobiological mechanisms.