Mindfulness improves stress and psycho-social morbidities of cancer patients: a clinical trial using community group-therapy in the Indian context
Anirban Pal, Purnava Mukhopadhyay, Nidhi D Pal, S. Joshi
ecancermedicalscience June 26, 2026 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2026.2158 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 100 |
| Population | Cancer patients diagnosed with stage III/IV cancer in a community cancer-care center in West Bengal, India |
| Duration | Pre-program, post-program, and 2 months follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness group therapy significantly improved perceived stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and emotional quality of life compared to usual care, with improvements sustained at two months; effects on pain, coping, and other quality-of-life aspects were modest. |
Abstract
Background: Cancer patients suffer from higher rates of psycho-social challenges. In the Indian context, their stress and psycho-social morbidities are often inadequately addressed. The researchers introduced a brief structured mindfulness group (Group M) therapy for them in a community cancer-care setting. The primary objective was to see an improvement in mental stress. Additionally, changes in anxiety, depression, pain intensity, sleep quality, coping with cancer, quality of life (QOL) and mindfulness characteristics were noted.
Methods: In this clinical trial, 100 cancer patients diagnosed with cancer (stage III/IV) were screened and then randomised to two groups to attend brief face-to-face ‘mindfulness (Group M)’ or ‘usual care (Group U)’ (not including mindfulness) sessions in a community cancer-care center in West Bengal, India, from May 2023 to April 2024. The outcome variables were noted pre-program, post-program and at 2 months follow-up. The statistical analysis was done using statistical software SPSS statistics for Windows 7 ® version 18.0.0. T -test was used for age, chi-square test for sex, cancer type, stage, treatment and the repeated-measures ANOVA test for other variables.
Results: The pre-session outcome variables among ‘Group M’ and ‘Group U’ were comparable. In ‘Group M,’ the post-session perceived stress scores ( p value <0.001: treatment effect size = 0.093), anxiety, depression, sleep quality and emotional component of QOL improved significantly and this improvement was sustained in 2-months follow-up. While the effect on pain intensity, cancer coping and other aspects of QOL and mindfulness characteristics was modest or less significant.
Conclusion: In Indian cancer patients, a brief, structured mindfulness-based intervention demonstrated notable improvements in stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality and emotional component of QOL. Further studies will be needed to substantiate these results and integration of mindfulness into community oncology-care services of the country. Trial
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |