Using mindfulness-based stress reduction to relieve loneliness, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Medicine September 15, 2023 Junye Yu, Mingyue Han, Fengru Miao et al. 26 citations
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials with 2,072 cancer patients found that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs lasting 6 to 8 weeks significantly reduced loneliness, anxiety, and depression compared to standard cancer care. The improvements were moderate in size, with the strongest effect on depression. Most studies involved breast cancer patients, and follow-up ranged from 6 to 53 weeks. The findings suggest MBSR may be a helpful mind-body approach for cancer patients experiencing these affective symptoms.