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Effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Abstract

This meta-analysis was a systematic review of evidence on the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on quality of life (QOL), pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients. Until July 2020, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The study included 18 RCTs. The MBSR/MBCT intervention resulted in a significant effect on QOL (SMD 0.80, CI 0.28, 1.32, I2 = 94%). In subgroup analysis, MBSR/MBCT interventions had a significant effect in the early cancer stage on anxiety (SMD − 3.48, CI − 4.07, − 2.88), and QOL (SMD 4.30, CI 3.62, 4.99); in alleviating decreasing pain (SMD − 0.42, CI − 0.70, − 0.14) within 4 weeks after the end of intervention, and alleviating fatigue in younger participants (SMD − 0.64, CI − 1.09, − 0.19). MBSR/MBCT has short-term effects on cancer patients, especially in younger patients and early cancer stages.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Hsiao-Hsuan Cheng and Ya-Ting Hu for their support in the implementation of this project.

Funding

This work was supported by Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital 429 (VGHKS107-D03-3).

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The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception and design: PCL and PLH; data collection: LYL and LHL; analysis and interpretation of results: GLT, YHH, and JFT; draft manuscript preparation: YLC, CJW, and LYL. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pi-Lien Hung.

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Lin, LY., Lin, LH., Tzeng, GL. et al. Effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 29, 432–445 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-022-09862-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-022-09862-z

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