Mindfulness-based stress reduction in cancer patients: impact on overall survival, quality of life and risk factor.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the pleiotropic beneficial effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on cardiovascular and cancer risk factors, quality of life, sleep quality, and immune function in cancer patients.
Results Summary
The study found that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction reduced cancer-related fatigue and stress, improved quality of life, and positively influenced immune function and cardiometabolic risk factors, including inflammatory biomarkers. However, the review noted limited clinical studies available in the literature.
Population
Cancer patients in different stages.
Effective Dosage
Not available
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based stress reduction | decrease | cancer-related fatigue | cancer patients | - | is able to decrease | #1 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | decrease | stress | cancer patients | - | is able to decrease | #2 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | quality of life | cancer patients | - | to improve | #3 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | systemic chemokines | - | - | could improve | #4 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | growth factors | - | - | could improve | #5 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | pro-inflammatory biomarkers | - | - | could improve | #6 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | decrease | cardiovascular risk factors | patients with cancer in different stages | - | beneficial effects | #7 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | decrease | cancer risk factors | patients with cancer in different stages | - | clinical impact | #8 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | overall quality of life | - | - | improvements | #9 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | sleep quality | - | - | improvements | #10 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | immune functions | - | - | improvements | #11 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | immune profile | cancer patients | - | beneficial effects | #12 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction | increase | cardiometabolic profile | cancer patients | - | beneficial effects | #13 |
Mindfulness-based stress reduction, a complementary and alternative therapy, is able to decrease cancer-related fatigue, and stress and to improve the quality of life in cancer patients. Some studies evaluated if mindfulness-based stress reduction could improve some cardiometabolic and cancer risk factors, including systemic chemokines, growth factors, and pro-inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., C-reactive protein, Interleukin-1). In this narrative review, we highlight the pleiotropic beneficial effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction and its clinical impact on cardiovascular and cancer risk factors among patients with cancer in different stages. Moreover, improvements in the overall quality of life, sleep quality, and immune functions [changes in plasma levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-γ (INF-γ), and interleukin-10 (IL-10)] will also be discussed. Albeit few clinical studies available in the literature, evidenced the beneficial effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the immune and cardiometabolic profile in cancer patients, providing important insights into the closest collaboration between psycho-oncologists, oncologists, and cardiologists.