Examining the interrelationships between mindfulness‐based interventions, depression, inflammation, and cancer survival
D. Marinovic, Rebecca L. Hunter
Ca June 16, 2022 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21733 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Proposes that mindfulness-based interventions may improve cancer survival by reducing inflammation, but no long-term studies have tested this hypothesis. |
Abstract
Depression is highly prevalent in those diagnosed with cancer and is also associated with poorer prognostic outcomes. Mindfulness‐based interventions are effective in reducing depressive symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with cancer. The objective of this review was to investigate whether mindfulness practices can improve survival and, if so, what mechanisms of action may contribute to these outcomes. Although no long‐term studies have investigated this hypothesis, the current literature supports an inflammatory basis for depression, implicating proinflammatory cytokines and hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis dysfunction as contributing factors. Markers of inflammation, such as interleukin‐6, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and cortisol, are all found at elevated concentrations in many depressed individuals. These exact mechanisms are associated with higher mortality in patients with cancer. Mindfulness has been studied for its effects on cytokine and cortisol levels, and there are promising data to support that the intervention can measurably decrease inflammation. Therefore, it is conceivable that mindfulness programs can affect survival in this population. There are limited data on the long‐term effects of mindfulness on depression and inflammatory markers in patients with cancer, and there are potential barriers to the implementation of mindfulness‐based interventions as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore these questions through longitudinal studies to establish a survival correlation. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022;72:490‐502.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synaptic Dysfunction in Depression: Potential Therapeutic Targets | 2012 | Review | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse | 2003 | Review | |
| Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Exploring the Effects of Variety and Amount of Mindfulness Practices on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms: Longitudinal Study on a Mental Health-Focused eHealth System for Patients With Breast or Prostate Cancer. JMIR Mental Health November 21, 2024
- The Role of Mindfulness Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Pain. Current Pain and Headache Reports November 1, 2024
- Effectiveness of Positive-Focused Mindfulness Therapy on Mental Well-being, Quality of Life, and Stress Coping Strategies in Women with Bipolar Disorder KMAN Counseling and Psychology Nexus 2023
- The application of esketamine in cancer-related depressive states: attention from mechanisms to clinical translation Frontiers in Psychiatry July 30, 2026
- A scoping review on mindfulness-based interventions for families of patients with advanced cancer. GHM open June 30, 2025
and 1 more in the library
Cites 18
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness‐based interventions for psychological and physical health outcomes in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Psycho-Oncology September 11, 2019
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2016
- Brief mindfulness training reduces salivary IL-6 and TNF-α in young women with depressive symptomatology. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology June 9, 2016
and 13 more in the library