Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cancer: a meta-analysis
Dianne Ledesma1, Hiroaki Kumano
1Department of Stress Science and Psychosomatic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Objective:
This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the mental and physical health status of various cancer patients.
Methods:
Ten studies (randomized-controlled trials and observational studies) were found to be eligible for meta-analysis. Individual study results were categorized into mental and physical variables and Cohen's effect size d was computed for each category.
Results:
MBSR may indeed be helpful for the mental health of cancer patients (Cohen's effect size d=0.48); however, more research is needed to show convincing evidence of the effect on physical health (Cohen's effect size d=0.18).
Conclusion:
The results suggest that MBSR may improve cancer patients' psychosocial adjustment to their disease.
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