Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31464026›Full record

SynthesisPsycho-oncology2019

Mindfulness-based interventions for psychological and physical health outcomes in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Linda Cillessen, Maja Johannsen, Anne E M Speckens, Robert Zachariae

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psycho-oncology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 145 papers, 23 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
145citing papers in PubMed, 23 pooled it
31.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04646785 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy to Improve Stress and Sleep in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

TypeinterventionalSponsorRadboud University Medical CenterRan2021 to 2023Enrolled142ConditionsInflammatory Bowel DiseasesArmsMindfulness-based cognitive therapy + TAU, Treatment as usual (TAU)
NCT05583851 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Digital Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Digi-ACT): A Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Assessing the Efficacy and Feasibility of Software-based Self-managed Intervention Targeting Subclinical Depression and Anxiety in Curative Cancer Patients Within Hong Kong

TypeinterventionalSponsorHolloRan2022 to 2023Enrolled50ConditionsDepression, Anxiety, Quality of Life, CancerArmsAcceptance and Commitment Therapy, Psychoeducation Active Control
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

145 citing papers in PubMed, 23 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 314 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Online self-compassion-based interventions on patient outcomes in patients with cancer: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  6. Mindfulness-based interventions for addressing sexual function after cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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  19. The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials.Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science · 2022
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85 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Linda CillessenCenter for Mindfulness, Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-2030-8646
Maja JohannsenUnit for Psychooncology and Health Psychology, Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-7849-7534
Anne E M SpeckensCenter for Mindfulness, Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-5266-1554
Robert ZachariaeUnit for Psychooncology and Health Psychology, Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-9076-3068
Aarhus University Hospital · DKRadboud University Nijmegen · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly used within psycho-oncology. Since the publication of the most recent comprehensive meta-analysis on MBIs in cancer in 2012, the number of published trials has more than doubled. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), testing the efficacy of MBIs on measures of psychological distress (primary outcome) and other health outcomes in cancer patients and survivors.

methodsTwo authors conducted independent literature searches in electronic databases from first available date to 10 October 2018, selected eligible studies, extracted data for meta-analysis, and evaluated risk of bias.

resultsTwenty-nine independent RCTs (reported in 38 papers) with 3274 participants were included. Small and statistically significant pooled effects of MBIs on combined measures of psychological distress were found at post-intervention (Hedges's g = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.22-0.41; P < .001) and follow-up (g = 0.19; 95%CI: 0.07-0.30; P < .002). Statistically significant effects were also found at either post-intervention or follow-up for a range of self-reported secondary outcomes, including anxiety, depression, fear of cancer recurrence, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and pain (g: 0.20 to 0.51; p: <.001 to.047). Larger effects of MBIs on psychological distress were found in studies (a) adhering to the original MBI manuals, (b) with younger patients, (c) with passive control conditions, and (d) shorter time to follow-up. Improvements in mindfulness skills were associated with greater reductions in psychological distress at post-intervention.

conclusionsMBIs appear efficacious in reducing psychological distress and other symptoms in cancer patients and survivors. However, many of the effects were of small magnitude, suggesting a need for intervention optimization research.

Indexed as

MindfulnessOutcome and Process Assessment, Health CarePsychological DistressRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicCancer SurvivorsHumansNeoplasmscancermeta-analysismindfulnessmindfulness-based cognitive therapymindfulness-based stress reductiononcologysystematic review

Identifiers

PMID31464026
PMCPMC6916350
OpenAlexW2970124303

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.