The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Meditation on the Immune Function of Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-Analysis.
Meng Yu, Yu-Chang Jin, Jun-Xiu An, Peixuan Zheng
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106396 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and three-level random-effects meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 991 |
| Population | Cancer patients, primarily breast cancer (>87%) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based meditation showed a small significant effect on immune function in randomized trial post-test data (g = 0.100, p = .026), but the effect was non-significant when pre-post data from randomized and single-group studies were pooled (g = 0.067, p = .114). The authors suggest meditation may modestly regulate immune function by reducing inflammation, increasing immune cell counts and activity, and potentially promoting telomere length and activity. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based meditation has been proposed as a complementary approach to support immune function in cancer patients, yet its biological effects remain unclear and heterogeneous across biomarkers. This study systematically reviewed and quantitatively synthesized empirical evidence using a three-level random-effects meta-analysis to account for statistical dependence among multiple effect sizes. A systematic search through December 2024 identified 11 reports (9 unique studies) with 110 effect sizes (N = 991). Eligible studies involved cancer patients (primarily breast cancer, >87%) undergoing mindfulness-based meditation interventions and reporting immune-related biomarkers. Hedges' g was used to calculate effect sizes. In the first-round analysis, based on RCT post-test data, mindfulness-based meditation showed a small but significant effect on immune function (g = 0.100, p =.026, 95% CI [0.012, 0.188]). The second-round analysis, incorporating pre-post data from both RCTs and single-group studies, yielded a non-significant effect (g = 0.067, p =.114, 95% CI [-0.016, 0.150]). Among tested moderators, only country significantly influenced effect sizes, whereas intervention duration, intervention type, and biomarker type did not. These findings suggest that mindfulness-based meditation may modestly regulate immune function in cancer patients by reducing inflammation, increasing immune cell counts and activity, and potentially promoting telomere length and activity. More rigorously designed studies with standardized biomarker reporting and more diverse populations are needed to clarify its therapeutic potential.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 26
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- Psychosocial and Integrative Oncology: Interventions Across the Disease Trajectory Annual Review of Psychology September 14, 2022
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Depression in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies 2023
and 21 more in the library