Skip to main content

Table 3 A list of reviews on supportive care including physical activity, complementary and alternative medicine and quality of life (2008–2018)

From: Health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients: review of reviews from 2008 to 2018

Authors [References]

Year

Main focus

Description/analysis

No. of databases

No. of included studies

Performed QA

Risk of bias assessment

Result(s)

Bicego et al. [55]

2009

The effect of exercise on QOL

Systematic review

4

9

Yes

No

Exercise as an effective strategy can improve QOL in patients

Bleakley and Stinson [56]

2011

CAM and QOL

Narrative review

6

8

Yes

No

There is great potential for complementary and alternative therapies to be increasingly integrated into clinical practice within breast cancer services

Levine and Balk [57]

2012

Yoga and QOL improvement

Literature review

7

71

NA

NA

Participation in yoga programs appeared to benefit breast cancer patients

Zhang, et al. [58]

2012

Effects of yoga on psychological function and QOL

Systematic review and meta-analysis

5

6

Yes

Yes

There is insufficient evidence to advocate that yoga should be offered routinely to women diagnosed with breast cancer. However, it may be an acceptable intervention to improve QOL for these women

Boehm et al. [59]

2014

Arts therapies for anxiety, depression, and QOL

Systematic review and meta-analysis

3

13

Yes

Yes

Overall, the option of participation in arts therapies can be recommended and has shown to be significantly effective for the reduction of anxiety in patients

Sawyer [60]

2014

Complementary exercise and QOL

Systematic review

4

9

No

No

Although complementary exercise improved QOL statistically in two-thirds of the research findings, further research is recommended

Zeng Y et al. [61]

2014

Effects of exercise intervention on QOL in BCS

Systematic review and meta-analysis

5

19

Yes

Yes

Exercise interventions have statistically significant effects on overall QOL, as well as positive trends for breast and arm symptoms

Yan et al. [62]

2014

Lack of Efficacy of Tai Chi in Improving QOL in BCS

Systematic review and meta-analysis

4

9

Yes

Yes

There is a lack of sufficient evidence to support Tai Chi benefiting the management of BCS in improving QOL and other important clinical outcomes

Leggett et al. [63]

2015

Effects of CAM on cancer symptoms, treatment side effects, QOL, and survival

Systematic review

5

22

Yes

Yes

Guarana and Ganoderma lucidum may improve fatigue, whereas glutamine may also be effective in improving oral mucositis symptoms

Van Dijck et al. [64]

2016

The effects of different physical self-management techniques on QOL

Systematic review

4

13

Yes

Yes

Physical self-management interventions during breast cancer treatment as well as after the primary treatment seem to generate beneficial effects on QOL

Zhang et al. [65]

2016

Effects of mindfulness-based therapy on QOL

Systematic review and meta-analysis

6

7

Yes

Yes

There was limited that mindfulness-based therapy can improve QOL

Cramer et al. [66]

2017

Yoga for improving HRQOL, mental health and cancer-related symptoms

Systematic review and meta-analysis

6

23

Yes

Yes

Moderate-quality evidence supported the recommendation of yoga for improving HRQOL and reducing fatigue and sleep disturbances when compared with no therapy, as well as for reducing depression, anxiety and fatigue, when compared with psychosocial/educational interventions

D'Egidio et al. [67]

2017

Effect of counseling interventions on HRQOL

Systematic review

2

35

Yes

No

Exercise counseling as well as physical therapy are effective to improve shoulder mobility, healing wounds, and limb strength

Husebo et al. [68]

2017

Mind–body exercise therapies and QOL

Review

4

11

Yes

Yes

Yoga was found to benefit patients’ psychological QOL, while less support was established concerning physical QOL elements

Lipsett et al. [69]

2017

Exercise during adjuvant radiotherapy on fatigue and QOL

Systematic review and meta-analysis

6

9

Yes

No

Statistically significant benefits of supervised, combined aerobic resistance exercise on fatigue were achieved

Pan et al. [70]

2017

Yoga practice improve treatment-related side effects and QOL

Systematic review and meta-analysis

3

16

Yes

No

Yoga was associated with enhanced overall HRQOL and relief of anxiety, depression and gastrointestinal adverse reactions in breast cancer patients and survivors

Zaidi et al. [71]

2018

Effect of complementary therapies on survivors’ QOL

Review

NA

NA

No

No

There is a need for personalized physical activity plans to be developed to suit the individual and their circumstances

Zhang et al. [72]

2018

Effectiveness of telephone- based interventions on HRQOL and prognostic outcomes

Systematic review and meta-analysis

6

14

Yes

Yes

Based on the insufficient evidence, the effects on depression, fatigue and physiological function were not statistically significant

  1. QA quality appraisal, NA not available, CAM complementary and alternative medicine, QOL patient-reported outcomes, BCS breast cancer survivors, HRQOL health-related quality of life