A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to reduce perceived stress in breast cancer patients.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to confirm the effect of mindfulness interventions on perceived stress in breast cancer patients and explore its impact on anxiety, depression, and inflammatory markers.
Results Summary
Mindfulness and yoga showed excellent effects in reducing perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and mindfulness improved TNF-α levels.
Population
Breast cancer patients
Effective Dosage
Not available
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness and yoga | decrease | perceived stress | breast cancer patients | - | had excellent effects against | #1 |
mindfulness and yoga | decrease | anxiety | breast cancer patients | - | had excellent effects against | #2 |
mindfulness and yoga | decrease | depression | breast cancer patients | - | had excellent effects against | #3 |
self-regulation | decrease | perceived stress | breast cancer patients | - | could reduce | #4 |
self-regulation | decrease | anxiety | breast cancer patients | - | could reduce | #5 |
exercise | decrease | perceived stress | breast cancer patients | - | could reduce | #6 |
acupuncture | decrease | the level of depression | breast cancer patients | - | could reduce | #7 |
mindfulness | increase | the TNF-α level | breast cancer patients | - | could improve | #8 |
yoga | decrease | the level of salivary cortisol | breast cancer patients | - | can reduce | #9 |
yoga | decrease | DNA damage | breast cancer patients | - | can reduce | #10 |
nondrug interventions, such as mindfulness and yoga | decrease | perceived stress | breast cancer patients | - | effectively reduce | #11 |
nondrug interventions, such as mindfulness and yoga | decrease | anxiety | breast cancer patients | - | effectively reduce | #12 |
nondrug interventions, such as mindfulness and yoga | decrease | depression | breast cancer patients | - | effectively reduce | #13 |
PURPOSE: Breast cancer (BC) patients commonly face stress that causes severe psychological and physiological problems. The main objective of the review was to confirm the effect of interventions on breast cancer patients' perceived stress, and the secondary objective was to explore the impact of interventions on anxiety, depression, and inflammatory markers. METHODS: A systematic and comprehensive search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported interventions' effects on perceived stress in breast cancer patients was performed in nine databases. RESULTS: Twenty-four RCTs, including 1887 participants, met the inclusion criteria, summarizing six categories for the intervention group: mindfulness and yoga, exercise, cognitive-behavioral stress management, self-regulation, relaxation training, and acupuncture. Compared with usual care or other types of care, mindfulness and yoga had excellent effects against perceived stress, anxiety, and depression; self-regulation could reduce perceived stress and anxiety; exercise could reduce perceived stress; acupuncture could reduce the level of depression; mindfulness could improve the TNF-α level, and yoga can reduce the level of salivary cortisol and DNA damage. CONCLUSION: This systematic review indicated that nondrug interventions, such as mindfulness and yoga, effectively reduce perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. Rigorous studies with large sample sizes are needed to address the limitations of small sample sizes and shortcomings in methodology in this area.