Evidence of psychological and biological effects of structured Mindfulness‐Based Interventions for cancer patients and survivors: A meta‐review

OBJECTIVE: A large number of studies have been conducted exploring the effects of mindfulness programs on health outcomes, such as psychological and biological outcomes. However, there is substantial heterogeneity among studies and, consequently, in the systematic reviews/meta‐analyses. Since clinical practice is massively informed by evidence on review studies, our main objective was to summarize the reported evidence regarding the effects of structured mindfulness‐based programs on psychological, biological, and quality‐of‐life outcomes in cancer patients. METHODS: We conducted a meta‐review, using a literature search from inception to June 2020 in several electronic databases using a combination of keywords including MBSR, MBCT, cancer, and meta‐analysis OR “systematic review” (PROSPERO registration CRD42020186511). RESULTS: Ten studies met the eligibility criteria and were included. The main findings were beneficial small to medium effect sizes of Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)/Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)/Mindfulness‐Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) on psychological health, such as anxiety, depression, stress, and quality of life. A beneficial effect was found for biological outcomes, albeit based on a reduced number of studies. Studies were moderate homogenous regarding the intervention, population, and outcomes explored. Results on long‐term follow‐up seem to indicate that the effects tend not to be maintained, namely in shorter follow‐ups (6 months). CONCLUSIONS: This meta‐review brings a broad perspective on the actual evidence regarding MBSR/MBCT/MBCR. We expect to contribute to future project design, focused on developing high‐quality studies and exploring the moderating effects that might contribute to biased results, as well as exploring who might benefit more from MBSR/MBCT/MBCT interventions.