SynthesisCancer medicine2021
Tai Chi for cancer survivors: A systematic review toward consensus-based guidelines.
Synthesis in Cancer medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 4 of them syntheses 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
14 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Meta-Analysis on the effect of Tai Chi Chuan on Human Biomechanics and Health from (2021-2025).Saudi medical journal · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of different Chinese traditional exercises on sleep quality and mental health of adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung · 2024Pooled it
- Is physical activity effective against cancer-related fatigue in lung cancer patients? An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Pooled it
- Tai Chi for cancer survivors: A systematic review toward consensus-based guidelines.Cancer medicine · 2021Pooled it
- Integrative Oncology Approaches Beneficial to Patients in Radiation Therapy.Current oncology reports · 2025Review
- Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with cancer: exploring the role of physical exercise.Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology · 2025Review
- The Science of Tai Chi andJournal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2025Review
- Exploring the use of traditional Chinese medicine exercises for cancer patients from the perspective of bibliometrics.Discover oncology · 2025Article
- A novel approach to cancer rehabilitation: assessing the influence of exercise intervention on postoperative recovery and survival rates.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2025Review
- The effect of traditional Chinese medicine on psychological conditions among elderly patients with cancer: a scoping review.Psychogeriatrics : the official journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society · 2024Article
- Recent Progress in Mind-Body Therapies in Cancer Care.Current oncology reports · 2023Review
- Review of psychological interventions in patients with cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Review
- Review
- Exploring Guolin Qigong (Mind-Body Exercise) for Improving Cancer Related Fatigue in Cancer Survivors: A Mixed Method Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.Integrative cancer therapiesArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
To manage acute, long-term, and late effects of cancer, current guidelines recommend moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic and resistance exercise. Unfortunately, not all cancer survivors are able or willing to perform higher intensity exercise during difficult cancer treatments or because of other existing health conditions. Tai Chi is an equipment-free, multicomponent mind-body exercise performed at light-to-moderate intensity that may provide a more feasible alternative to traditional exercise programs for some cancer survivors. This systematic review evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of Tai Chi across the cancer care continuum. We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases for interventional studies from inception to 18 September 2020. Controlled trials of the effects of Tai Chi training on patient-reported and objectively measured outcomes in cancer survivors were included. Study quality was determined by the RoB 2 tool, and effect estimates were evaluated using the Best Evidence Synthesis approach. Twenty-six reports from 14 trials (one non-randomized controlled trial) conducted during (n = 5) and after treatment (after surgery: n = 2; after other treatments: n = 7) were included. Low-level evidence emerged to support the benefits of 40-60 min of thrice-weekly supervised Tai Chi for 8-12 weeks to improve fatigue and sleep quality in cancer survivors. These findings need to be confirmed in larger trials and tested for scaling-up potential. Insufficient evidence was available to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi on other cancer-related outcomes. Future research should examine whether Tai Chi training can improve a broader range of cancer outcomes including during the pre-treatment and end of life phases.
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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.