Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on cognitive impairment in patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Shuqin Jiang, Yaoyao Sun, Lixiang Yu, Xinjie Hu, Jie Li
International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100576 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Cancer patients |
| Intervention | Mindfulness interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive impairment Meta-analysis Mindfulness interventions Quality of life Systematic review Path Subjective cognitive ability Perceived cognitive function Objective cognitive function Cancer patients Cancer survivors Insight |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness interventions significantly improved subjective cognitive function in cancer patients both post-intervention and at follow-up, but no significant effects were observed on objective cognitive function. |
Abstract
Cognitive impairment has been widely reported among cancer survivors, significantly impacting their quality of life. Mindfulness interventions are increasingly used to alleviate cognitive impairment in patients with cancer. This study aimed to assess the effects of mindfulness interventions on cognitive impairment in patients with cancer post-intervention and at follow-up. Up until February 2024, five English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, and PsycINFO) and three Chinese databases (CNKI, Wan Fang, and CBM) were searched to identify relevant studies. To determine the effect size, we used random effects model to compute the standardized mean difference and 95 % confidence intervals. We included 23 randomized controlled trials and seven non-randomized controlled trials. Mindfulness interventions significantly improved patients' subjective cognitive function post-intervention (SMDbetween-group=0.81, 95 %CI: 0.58 to 1.03; SMDwithin-group=1.12, 95 %CI: 0.71 to 1.52) and at follow-up (SMDbetween-group=0.39, 95 %CI: 0.09 to 0.68; SMDwithin-group=0.59, 95 %CI: 0.35 to 0.82). Subgroup analysis indicated significantly larger effect of the interventions in developing countries than those in developed countries (p between-group=0.014; p within-group=0.008), and of the interventions without additional home practice than those with home practice in within-group comparisons (p between-group=0.217; p within-group=0.018). There were no significant differences in the effects between interventions lasting ≥eight weeks and < eight weeks (p between-group=0.093; p between-group=0.303). However, no significant effects were observed on objective cognitive function. Mindfulness-based interventions can effectively improve the subjective cognitive function in cancer patients both post-intervention and at follow-up. Future intervention research should take into account regions, home practice, and intervention duration.
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
Cited by 2
- Mindfulness-based interventions for cancer patients in standard treatment: A meta-analysis of effects on depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Journal of Psychosomatic Research July 5, 2025
- Quieting the Mind, Healing the Body: Guided Imagery and Mindfulness Meditation among Cancer Patients Indian Journal of Palliative Care June 12, 2026
Cites 13
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Meditation and Cognitive Ageing: the Role of Mindfulness Meditation in Building Cognitive Reserve Journal of Cognitive Enhancement April 12, 2017
- The impact of brief mindfulness meditation on anxiety, cognitive load, and teamwork in emergency simulation training: A randomized controlled trial. Nurse Education Today 2024
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on anxiety, depression, and fatigue in people with lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2023
and 8 more in the library