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This large meta-analysis pooled evidence from 73 randomised controlled trials involving 5,130 cancer patients and survivors to compare the effectiveness of five mind-body exercise types — yoga, tai chi, qigong, pilates, and dance — on quality of life, depression, and anxiety. The researchers used three complementary analytical methods: pairwise meta-analysis to combine overall results, Bayesian network meta-analysis to rank the different therapies against one another, and dose-response meta-analysis to identify how much exercise produces the greatest benefit.
Across all modalities combined, mind-body exercise produced meaningful improvements in quality of life, and significantly reduced both depression and anxiety scores. When the therapies were ranked against one another, pilates came out on top for quality of life, yoga was most effective for reducing depression, and qigong ranked highest for relieving anxiety. Tai chi was included as one of the evaluated interventions within this broader comparison.
The dose-response analysis found that benefits followed an inverted U-shaped curve, meaning that moderate — rather than very high — volumes of exercise were most beneficial. The overall optimal dose for quality of life was approximately 490 metabolic equivalent of task minutes per week, with optimal doses varying by specific intervention type (ranging from 300 to 520 metabolic equivalent of task minutes per week).
Conclusion: Mind-body exercises, including qigong and tai chi, are effective complementary interventions for reducing psychological distress and improving quality of life in cancer patients, with specific modalities showing particular strengths for different outcomes.
Source: Feng H, Zhou P, Xie Z and colleagues. Applied psychology. Health and well-being (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42412001) · doi:10.1111/aphw.70187