Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40781207›Full record

ReviewJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2025

Effectiveness of art interventions on improving psychological outcomes and quality of life among survivors of breast cancer: a systematic review.

Ayush Patel, Shayan Raeisi Dehkordi, Shing Fung Lee, Jashmira Bhinder, Ali Abud, Carmen Faouk Al Aadah, Erin Thavarajah, Tasneem Al Hayah, Samantha Kennedy, Rouhi Fazelzad and 8 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

18 authors.

Ayush PatelDepartment of Psychology and Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Shayan Raeisi DehkordiFaculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Shing Fung LeeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Jashmira BhinderFaculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Ali AbudDepartment of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Carmen Faouk Al AadahFaculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
Erin ThavarajahDepartment of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Tasneem Al HayahFaculty of Arts & Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Samantha KennedyFaculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Rouhi FazelzadLibrary and Information Services, University Health Network - Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada.
Joyce Nyhof-YoungAcademics Program, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Maryam LustbergDepartment of Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Jennifer M JonesCancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
Adrian W ChanDepartment of Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer - Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada.
Edward ChowDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Henry C Y WongDepartment of Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Kowloon West Cluster, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong, China.
Jennifer Y Y KwanDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Muna Al-KhaifiDepartment of Medical Oncology & Hematology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Canada. muna.alkhaifi@sunnybrook.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDespite advances in treatment options, survivors of breast cancer often face long-term psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, body image issues, and reduced quality of life. Art interventions, encompassing creative disciplines such as painting, music, dance, and poetry, have emerged as potential tools to address these challenges. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of these interventions in improving psychological outcomes for survivors of breast cancer.

methodsThis review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024528056) following PRISMA guidelines. From inception to April 2024, we searched eight bibliographic databases and identified randomized control trials meeting the inclusion criteria. Papers were included only if they reported psychological outcomes from art interventions administered after completing primary treatment for breast cancer. Following screening, two reviewers independently extracted data from the eligible studies, including the study characteristics, type of intervention, and the psychological outcomes assessed.

resultsA total of 7991 articles were identified, of which 31 met the inclusion criteria. The most common approaches employed were dance-based interventions (12/31, 38.7%), followed by visual art interventions (10/31, 32.3%), music-based interventions (7/31, 22.6%), and lastly poetry-based interventions (2/31, 6.5%). Visual art and music-based interventions consistently demonstrated significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Dance-based interventions yielded mixed outcomes, with positive effects on body image and quality of life but limited efficacy in reducing anxiety and depression. Poetry-based interventions showed potential across all domains but remain underexplored due to a limited number of studies available.

conclusionVisual art and music-based interventions are both promising approaches to enhance psychological well-being and quality of life in survivors of breast cancer. However, the variability in outcomes for dance interventions and the scarcity of data on poetry interventions emphasize the need for further research to guide evidence-informed practice. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Art-based interventions offer accessible and non-invasive approaches to improving psychological outcomes for survivors of breast cancer. Future research should focus on larger, diverse samples and longitudinal designs to strengthen the evidence base and optimize intervention strategies tailored to survivors' unique needs.

Indexed as

AnxietyArt interventionsBody imageDepressionQuality of lifeSurvivors of breast cancer

Identifiers

PMID40781207

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.