Optimizing Yoga Interventions for Mental Health in Cancer Survivors-A Quantitative Assessment of Dose, Duration, and Subgroup Effects: A Bayesian and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.
Hongkuo Cheng, Zheng Zhou, Hao Wang, Xiaochuan Hang
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: As the number of cancer survivors increases, so does the number of them facing serious mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, which seriously affect their quality of life and prognosis for recovery. Yoga, as a form of mind-body integration, has shown the potential to alleviate psychological distress in cancer survivors. However, previous meta-analyses have some limitations.
Objective: This study aimed to accurately assess the overall effect of yoga on depression and anxiety in cancer survivors and its clinical significance through a Bayesian multilevel meta-analysis and to delve deeper into the dose-response relationship and differences in the effect of key subgroups.
Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases up to April 2025 were systematically searched to include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of yoga on anxiety and depression in adult cancer survivors. Data were synthesized using Bayesian multilevel random-effects models, and differences in treatment effect (Hedges' g), dose-response relationships, moderators (age, sex), and chemoradiotherapy subgroups were analyzed.
Results: A total of 32 RCTs (1913 participants) were included. Results showed that yoga significantly improved depressive symptoms (Hedges' g = -0.26, 95% CrI: -0.34 to -0.19) and anxiety symptoms (Hedges' g = -0.41, 95% CrI: -0.51 to -0.31), both achieving the minimal clinically important difference. In addition, the significant dose range for depression improvement was approximately 70-380 MET-minutes/week; for anxiety, approximately 70-240 MET-minutes/week. Furthermore, while age and sex did not significantly moderate the outcomes, yoga was particularly effective in improving anxiety among patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy. The overall quality of the evidence was rated as "low."
Conclusions: This study provides new evidence for the effectiveness of yoga in improving depression and anxiety in cancer survivors and reveals specific dose-effect relationships. These findings support the use of yoga as a promising non-pharmacologic adjunctive therapy to promote psychological recovery and quality of life for cancer survivors.
期刊介绍：
Psycho-Oncology is concerned with the psychological, social, behavioral, and ethical aspects of cancer. This subspeciality addresses the two major psychological dimensions of cancer: the psychological responses of patients to cancer at all stages of the disease, and that of their families and caretakers; and the psychological, behavioral and social factors that may influence the disease process. Psycho-oncology is an area of multi-disciplinary interest and has boundaries with the major specialities in oncology: the clinical disciplines (surgery, medicine, pediatrics, radiotherapy), epidemiology, immunology, endocrinology, biology, pathology, bioethics, palliative care, rehabilitation medicine, clinical trials research and decision making, as well as psychiatry and psychology.
This international journal is published twelve times a year and will consider contributions to research of clinical and theoretical interest. Topics covered are wide-ranging and relate to the psychosocial aspects of cancer and AIDS-related tumors, including: epidemiology, quality of life, palliative and supportive care, psychiatry, psychology, sociology, social work, nursing and educational issues.
Special reviews are offered from time to time. There is a section reviewing recently published books. A society news section is available for the dissemination of information relating to meetings, conferences and other society-related topics. Summary proceedings of important national and international symposia falling within the aims of the journal are presented.
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