Mindfulness-based interventions for cancer patients in standard treatment: A meta-analysis of effects on depression, anxiety, and quality of life.
Ema Štánerová, Veronika Zelenayová, Jakub Rajčáni
Journal of Psychosomatic Research July 5, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2025.112312 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult patients with cancer during the active treatment phase |
| Intervention | Mindfulness interventions |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Quality of life Cancer Interventions Practices Treatment support Emotional well-being Psychological relief Anxiety reduction Depression management Improved well-being Patient experience Life quality |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness interventions during active cancer treatment showed moderate improvements in quality of life and reductions in depression and anxiety, with considerable heterogeneity and low overall evidence quality. |
Abstract
Mindfulness interventions are indicated to be effective in reducing psychological symptoms faced by patients with cancer. However, there is a lack of revised evidence on their effectiveness during the active treatment phase. To address this research gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials with adult patients written in English, published in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus databases up to July 25, 2023. Studies with participants who completed oncological treatment more than 6 months before inclusion in the study were excluded. We calculated moderate effects on quality of life (12 studies with 1124 participants; SMD = 0.50; 95 % CI [0.33, 0.67]), depression (19 studies with 1586 participants; SMD = -0.60; 95 % CI [-0.79; -0.41]) and anxiety (20 studies with 1542 participants; SMD = -0.64; 95 % CI [-0.83, -0.46]), but with considerable heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses revealed that effectiveness differed for distinct types of intervention, but not for different cancer diagnoses. The overall quality of evidence (GRADE) was low mainly due to unexplained heterogeneity and risk of bias in most studies. Our findings highlight the importance of thoroughly examining sources of heterogeneity and enhancing methodological transparency in primary studies within oncology populations.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- The Association Between Mindfulness and Perceived Stress: A Meta‐Analysis Stress and Health July 18, 2026
- Supporting Uptake of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Breast Cancer Survivors: Generating Locally Relevant Estimates of Benefit Mindfulness June 1, 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Adults With Cancer: A Stratified Subgroup Meta-Analysis. Psycho-Oncology March 1, 2026
Cites 28
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- Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic Frontiers in Psychology October 25, 2022
- Cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based interventions for distress in patients with advanced cancer: A meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology 2024
and 23 more in the library