Mindfulness-based interventions in oncology: A scoping review of outcomes and applications.
Cheng-Yun Chen, Sheng-Nan Li, Xin-Xin Li, Bo Zhou
World Journal of Clinical Cases August 1, 2025 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i24.106864 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Cancer patients in recovery, as represented in the reviewed literature |
| Interventions | Mindfulness interventions Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cancer Quality of life Mental health Scoping review Psychosomatic intervention |
| Key findings | The authors report that mindfulness interventions show broad potential for improving cancer patients' mental health, physical symptoms, and quality of life, while noting that the evidence is heterogeneous. They argue that future research should use higher-quality randomized controlled trials to examine different intervention modalities, long-term effects, and mechanisms, and they highlight advances in "Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery." |
Abstract
Cancer significantly impacts patients' physical and mental health, leading to a wide range of effects from physical pain to psychological issues such as anxiety and depression, severely diminishing their quality of life. As an emerging psychosomatic intervention, mindfulness interventions have gained increasing attention. This scoping review systematically searches and filters relevant literature, covering databases from their inception to January 2025, aiming to comprehensively outline the application, research characteristics, and main outcomes of mindfulness interventions in cancer recovery. We employed the Arksey and O'Malley framework, utilizing electronic databases and manual searches to rigorously select studies and extract key data. Results indicate that mindfulness interventions show broad potential in improving cancer patients' mental health, physical symptoms, and quality of life, despite the heterogeneity of the evidence. Future research should focus on higher-quality randomized controlled trials to explore different intervention modalities and long-term effects and to analyze their underlying mechanisms. This paper particularly highlights the advancements in Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery, providing valuable references for clinical practice.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 17
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- The effect of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) on the body image of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry September 11, 2024
- Effect of a 4-Week Internet-Delivered Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery Intervention on the Symptom Burden and Quality of Life of Patients With Breast Cancer: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research November 22, 2022
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy on Posttraumatic Growth and Quality of Life in Patients With Breast Cancer Under Early Chemotherapy Holistic Nursing Practice August 28, 2022
and 12 more in the library