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 Ema Štánerová, Veronika Zelenayová, Jakub Rajčáni 8 citations
Mindfulness interventions during active cancer treatment moderately improve quality of life and reduce depression and anxiety. A meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials found moderate effects on quality of life (12 studies, 1124 participants), depression (19 studies, 1586 participants), and anxiety (20 studies, 1542 participants), though with considerable variation across studies. Effectiveness differed by intervention type but not by cancer diagnosis. The overall quality of evidence was low due to unexplained heterogeneity and risk of bias. The findings underscore the need to examine sources of variation and improve methodological transparency in future research.