Yoga in Cancer Care: A Bibliometric Analysis of Systematic Reviews

Yoga has gained recognition as a complementary intervention for managing the physical and psychological challenges faced by patients with cancer. Systematic reviews of yoga interventions have provided valuable insights into their roles in cancer care. This bibliometric analysis aimed to map the trends, contributors, and thematic focus of systematic reviews on yoga interventions in oncology. A comprehensive search was conducted across major databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses focusing on yoga interventions in cancer patients. Studies published between the inception of each database and July 2024 were included. Key data, such as authorship, year of publication, cancer type, outcomes assessed, and geographical distribution, were extracted and analysed. A total of 42 systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included in the final analysis. Most studies have focused on psychological outcomes including quality of life, stress reduction, and fatigue management, with a predominant focus on breast cancer. The majority of the research was led by authors from China and the United States, reflecting a growing global interest in yoga as an integrative cancer therapy. This analysis highlights the increasing research interest in yoga for cancer care, particularly regarding psychological outcomes. Future research should focus on underrepresented cancer types and physiological outcomes, and expand studies to low- and middle-income countries to optimise yoga's role in global cancer care.