SynthesisMedicine2019
Psychological intervention and its immune effect in cancer patients: A meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Psychosocial interventions reduce cortisol in breast cancer patients: systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Pooled it
- Psychological distress as a putative host-state determinant of cancer immunotherapy response.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Beyond survival: psychoneuroimmunology-driven cancer psychological rehabilitation-a paradigm shift from symptom management to biobehavioral remodeling.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
- The Interplay of Chronic Stress and Cancer: Pathophysiology and Implications for Integrated Care.Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2025Review
- Mechanisms of stress-attributed breast cancer incidence and progression.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2024Review
- Article
- Influences of Comprehensive Psychological Intervention on the Psychological Behavior Problems and Learning Adaptability of Students at Age of 6-12 Years Old.Iranian journal of public health · 2023Article
- Barriers to Psychosocial Services Use For Latina Versus Non-Latina White Breast Cancer Survivors.American journal of psychotherapy · 2021Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine whether psychological intervention (PI) changes the levels of immune indicators in cancer patients.
methodsWe conducted a systematic search published up to July 2018, followed by a manual search. Randomized controlled trials were included. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data, which were analyzed using Review manager 5.3.
resultsTwenty-nine studies were included including four kinds of PI. Only stress management didn't result in immune changes; only cognitive behavior therapy affect NK cell activity. PI did not change immune indicators on cancer patients who completed therapy. Compared to patients not receiving PI, those received PI had significantly higher NK cell count and activity in whole blood; and serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, lgA, and lgG. However, the differences in the serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IgM were not significant (P > .05), and the changes recorded for the CD3, CD4, and CD8 cell count, and CD4/CD8 ratios were inconsistent.
conclusionsAlthough there are considerable evidences of PI's immune effect, but its magnitude was moderate. Therefore, it may be premature to conclude whether PI affects immunity of cancer patients. Further research is warranted, with special focus on the PI types and treatment methods.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.