SynthesisBMC palliative care2023
Non-pharmacological interventions to manage psychological distress in patients living with cancer: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC palliative care, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 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
31 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions on sleep quality in lung cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2015-2025).Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Pooled it
- Global research and emerging trends in depression in lung cancer: a bibliometric and visualized study from 2014 to 2024.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Pooled it
- The effects of art-making intervention on mind-body and quality of life in adults with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Pooled it
- Nonpharmacologic interventions for managing distress, anxiety, and depression for patients with cancer and their family caregivers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.CA: a cancer journal for cliniciansPooled it
- Investigating impact of a comprehensive support program on death anxiety among women with breast cancer: a clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- Randomized Controlled Trial of Group-Blended and Individual-Unguided Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Reduce Psychological Distress in People With Cancer.Psycho-oncology · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Impact of background music listening on anxiety in cancer patients undergoing initial radiation therapy: a randomized clinical trial.Radiation oncology (London, England) · 2024Trial
- The Experience of Shared Meditation Involving People With Cancer, Health Professionals and Third Persons: A Qualitative Focus-Group Study.Integrative cancer therapiesTrial
- Managing psychological distress in women with breast cancer: A systematic review of intervention trends in the past decade.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing · 2026Review
- Adapting a brief mindful breathing intervention for self-management of distress in advanced cancer patients: the RESOLVE-i study.BMC palliative care · 2026Article
- Challenges and strategies for delivering effective breast cancer care in conflict zones.Communications medicine · 2026Review
- Use and evaluation of psychological interventions in specialist palliative care settings: results of a national online survey with psychologists and psycho-oncologists.BMC palliative care · 2026Article
- Mindfulness-based interventions for pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients receiving palliative care: a meta-analysis.Journal of research in nursing : JRN · 2026Article
- Pain and Suicide Behavior in Cancer Patients: Implications for Personalized Treatment-A Systematic Review.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
- Symptoms experience during the oral intake rehabilitation period following esophagectomy: A network analysis.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing · 2025Article
- Symptom burden, healthcare utilization, and risky behaviors in survivors of the childhood cancer survivor study (CCSS): an observation cohort study.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- The Use of Tele-Music Interventions in Supportive Cancer Care: A Systematic Review.Brain sciences · 2025Review
- Health-Related Quality of Life and Patient Experience in Oncology Palliative Care Within the Saudi Model of Care Framework: Evidence from the Qassim Health Cluster, Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Reproductive concerns in young women with cervical cancer: latent profiles and key influencing factors.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPsychological distress is common in patients with cancer; interfering with physical and psychological wellbeing, and hindering management of physical symptoms. Our aim was to systematically review published evidence on non-pharmacological interventions for cancer-related psychological distress, at all stages of the disease.
methodsWe followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022311729). Searches were made using eight online databases to identify studies meeting our inclusion criteria. Data were collected on outcome measures, modes of delivery, resources and evidence of efficacy. A meta-analysis was planned if data allowed. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).
resultsFifty-nine studies with 17,628 participants were included. One third of studies included mindfulness, talking or group therapies. Half of all studies reported statistically significant improvements in distress. Statistically significant intervention effects on distress were most prevalent for mindfulness techniques. Four of these mindfulness studies had moderate effect sizes (d = -0.71[95% CI: -1.04, -0.37] p < 0.001) (d = -0.60 [95% CI: -3.44, -0.89] p < 0.001) (d = -0.77 [CI: -0.146, -1.954] p < 0.01) (d = -0.69 [CI: -0.18, -1.19] p = 0.008) and one had a large effect size (d = -1.03 [95% CI: -1.51, -0.54] p < 0.001). Heterogeneity of studies precluded meta-analysis. Study quality was variable and some had a high risk of bias.
conclusionsThe majority of studies using a mindfulness intervention in this review are efficacious at alleviating distress. Mindfulness-including brief, self-administered interventions-merits further investigation, using adequately powered, high-quality studies. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: This systematic review is registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42022311729.
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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.