{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7225459735","doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","title":"The Use of Meditation in Cancer Treatment: From Tumour Regression to the Biology of Healing. A Synthesis of the Strongest Evidence (2000\u20132026)","display_name":"The Use of Meditation in Cancer Treatment: From Tumour Regression to the Biology of Healing. A Synthesis of the Strongest Evidence (2000\u20132026)","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-11-07","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7225459735","doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.5281/zenodo.24041006","doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400562","display_name":"Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I67311998","host_organization_name":"European Organization for Nuclear Research","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I67311998"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5025412558","display_name":"Alessandro Mahony","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4876-3510","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4876-3510"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Alessandro Mahony","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4876-3510","affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5025412558"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10708","display_name":"Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions","score":0.9750999808311462,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3203","display_name":"Clinical Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10708","display_name":"Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions","score":0.9750999808311462,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3203","display_name":"Clinical Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10178","display_name":"Cancer survivorship and care","score":0.010099999606609344,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2730","display_name":"Oncology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12626","display_name":"Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response","score":0.009399999864399433,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1306","display_name":"Cancer Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/13","display_name":"Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/meditation","display_name":"meditation","score":0.9079999923706055},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cancer-therapy","display_name":"cancer therapy","score":0.968999981880188},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/tumor-regression","display_name":"tumor regression","score":0.8790000081062317},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/remission","display_name":"remission","score":0.7519999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/mindfulness","display_name":"mindfulness","score":0.6909999847412109},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/transcendental-meditation","display_name":"transcendental meditation","score":0.8859999775886536},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/yoga","display_name":"yoga","score":0.847000002861023},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/pranayama","display_name":"pranayama","score":0.9700000286102295},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/qigong","display_name":"qigong","score":0.9929999709129333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/tai-chi","display_name":"Tai Chi","score":0.9879999756813049},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/buddhist-meditation","display_name":"Buddhist meditation","score":0.9520000219345093},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/contemplative-prayer","display_name":"contemplative prayer","score":0.921999990940094},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/heartfulness-meditation","display_name":"Heartfulness meditation","score":0.9049999713897705},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/natural-killer-cells","display_name":"natural killer cells","score":0.8510000109672546},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/interferon-gamma","display_name":"interferon-gamma","score":0.9350000023841858},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/telomere-length","display_name":"telomere length","score":0.8610000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/dna-methylation","display_name":"DNA methylation","score":0.9890000224113464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inflammation","display_name":"inflammation","score":0.6639999747276306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cortisol","display_name":"cortisol","score":0.9629999995231628},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/depression","display_name":"depression","score":0.652999997138977},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/anxiety","display_name":"anxiety","score":0.9959999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/stress","display_name":"stress","score":0.9070000052452087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/spirituality","display_name":"spirituality","score":0.671999990940094},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/post-traumatic-growth","display_name":"posttraumatic growth","score":0.671999990940094}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C521822307","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108458","display_name":"Meditation","level":2,"score":0.7876999974250793},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C121608353","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12078","display_name":"Cancer","level":2,"score":0.6944000124931335},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C83546350","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1139051","display_name":"Regression","level":2,"score":0.5080000162124634},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776867660","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1814941","display_name":"Depression (economics)","level":2,"score":0.49309998750686646},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C71924100","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11190","display_name":"Medicine","level":0,"score":0.48429998755455017},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C143998085","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q162555","display_name":"Oncology","level":1,"score":0.45980000495910645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C126322002","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11180","display_name":"Internal medicine","level":1,"score":0.43639999628067017},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C535046627","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30612","display_name":"Clinical trial","level":2,"score":0.43389999866485596},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3732999861240387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168563851","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1436668","display_name":"Randomized controlled trial","level":2,"score":0.3709000051021576},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C204787440","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188504","display_name":"Alternative medicine","level":2,"score":0.3677000105381012},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C542102704","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q183257","display_name":"Psychotherapist","level":1,"score":0.3637000024318695},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C70410870","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q199906","display_name":"Clinical psychology","level":1,"score":0.36059999465942383},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779134260","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12136","display_name":"Disease","level":2,"score":0.33640000224113464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C152877465","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q208042","display_name":"Regression analysis","level":2,"score":0.33489999175071716},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779473830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1540899","display_name":"MEDLINE","level":2,"score":0.33169999718666077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C60644358","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128570","display_name":"Bioinformatics","level":1,"score":0.32359999418258667},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776608160","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4785462","display_name":"Natural (archaeology)","level":2,"score":0.30090001225471497},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779974597","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28448986","display_name":"Clinical Practice","level":2,"score":0.29580000042915344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177336024","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14872779","display_name":"Telomere","level":3,"score":0.2799000144004822},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3020774429","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1201886","display_name":"Web of science","level":3,"score":0.25200000405311584}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.5281/zenodo.24041006","doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400562","display_name":"Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I67311998","host_organization_name":"European Organization for Nuclear Research","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I67311998"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},{"id":"doi:10.5281/zenodo.24041007","doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041007","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041007","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400562","display_name":"Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I67311998","host_organization_name":"European Organization for Nuclear Research","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I67311998"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.5281/zenodo.24041006","doi":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24041006","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400562","display_name":"Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I67311998","host_organization_name":"European Organization for Nuclear Research","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I67311998"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Good health and well-being","score":0.9940000176429749,"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/3"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W2411243801","https://openalex.org/W2734651167","https://openalex.org/W187351060","https://openalex.org/W2401922325","https://openalex.org/W2424347478","https://openalex.org/W2754478624","https://openalex.org/W2419546890","https://openalex.org/W6906552141","https://openalex.org/W2415859823","https://openalex.org/W4414757043"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Introduction.":[0],"The":[1,6],"article":[2],"published":[3],"on":[4,97,217,253,294],"Neuroscienze.net,":[5],"Use":[7],"of":[8,21,25,42,52,71,100,130,248,287,304,314,360],"Meditation":[9,176,301,327],"in":[10,37,229,306],"Cancer":[11],"Treatment:Studies":[12],"from":[13],"1975":[14],"to":[15,124],"2000,":[16],"closed":[17],"with":[18,122,213,289],"a":[19,34,335,345],"note":[20],"caution":[22],"but":[23,332],"also":[24],"hope:":[26],"several":[27],"findings":[28],"suggestedthat":[29],"the":[30,40,43,49,53,98,142,149,159,163],"mind":[31],"might":[32],"play":[33],"deeper":[35],"role":[36,99],"cancer":[38,120],"than":[39],"science":[41],"time":[44],"could":[45],"demonstrate.Twenty-five":[46],"years":[47],"later,":[48],"scientific":[50],"literature":[51],"new":[54],"millennium":[55],"has":[56],"identified":[57],"measurablebiological":[58],"mechanisms,":[59],"quantified":[60,341],"clinical":[61,154,342],"effects":[62,252],"through":[63],"meta-analyses":[64],"involving":[65],"thousands":[66],"ofpatients,":[67],"and":[68,73,90,95,134,146,152,162,171,182,192,207,223,237,264,275,283,322,344,353],"documented":[69,346],"cases":[70,129,316],"regression":[72,131,352],"remission":[74,324],"that,":[75],"however":[76],"rare,":[77],"can":[78,363],"no":[79],"longer":[80],"bedismissed":[81],"as":[82],"mere":[83],"curiosities.Objective.":[84],"This":[85],"narrative":[86],"synthesis":[87],"selects":[88],"solid":[89],"representative":[91],"evidence":[92,291],"emerging":[93],"between2000":[94],"2026":[96],"meditation\u2014in":[101],"all":[102],"its":[103],"currently":[104],"studied":[105],"forms":[106],"(mindfulness,":[107],"Tran-scendental":[108],"Meditation,":[109],"yoga,":[110],"pranayama,":[111],"qigong,":[112],"tai":[113,284],"chi,":[114],"Buddhist":[115],"meditation,":[116],"contemplativeprayer,":[117],"heartfulness":[118],"meditation)\u2014in":[119],"treatment,":[121],"attention":[123],"biological":[125,339],"mechanisms,clinical":[126],"outcomes,":[127],"exceptional":[128],"or":[132],"remission,":[133],"ongoing":[135],"research.Methods.":[136],"PubMed/PMC,":[137],"Europe":[138],"PMC,":[139],"peer-reviewed":[140],"journals,":[141],"OSF/MindRxiv,":[143],"PsyArXiv,SSRN,":[144],"medRxiv":[145],"Zenodo":[147],"platforms,":[148],"WHO":[150],"ICTRP":[151],"ISRCTN":[153],"trial":[155],"registries,the":[156],"PROSPERO":[157],"register,":[158],"Figshare":[160],"repository,":[161],"CINAHL,":[164],"PsycINFO,":[165],"Scopus,":[166],"Web":[167],"ofScience,":[168],"Semantic":[169],"Scholar":[170],"BASE":[172],"databases":[173],"were":[174],"consulted.Results.":[175],"restores":[177],"Natural":[178],"Killer":[179],"cell":[180],"activity":[181],"interferon-\u03b3":[183],"production":[184],"(Witek-Janusek":[185],"et":[186,197,204,267,278,298,310],"al.,":[187,198,205,268,279,311],"2008);":[188],"reduces":[189],"inflammatory":[190],"markers":[191],"normalises":[193],"cortisol":[194],"(systematic":[195],"reviews;Yu":[196],"2025);":[199],"maintains":[200],"telomere":[201],"length":[202],"(Carlson":[203],"2015);":[206],"modifies":[208],"DNA":[209],"methylationin":[210],"inflammation-related":[211],"genes,":[212],"open":[214],"data":[215],"deposited":[216],"Figshare.":[218],"A":[219,246],"meta-analysis":[220,247],"of45":[221],"RCTs":[222,250],"7,395":[224],"participants":[225],"confirms":[226],"large":[227],"reductions":[228],"depression":[230],"(g":[231,239,261],"=":[232,235,240,262],"\u22120.92),":[233],"anxiety(g":[234],"\u22121.06)":[236],"stress":[238],"\u22121.50)":[241],"(Ajele":[242],"&":[243],"Idemudia,":[244],"2026).":[245],"46":[249],"showssignificant":[251],"positive":[254],"outcomes\u2014mindfulness":[255],"skills,":[256],"self-compassion,":[257],"coping,":[258],"well-being,post-traumatic":[259],"growth":[260],"1.40)":[263],"spirituality":[265],"(Badaghi":[266],"2024).":[269],"Pranayama":[270],"reducesfatigue,":[271],"sleep":[272],"disturbances,":[273],"nausea":[274],"vomiting":[276],"(Momeni":[277],"2025).":[280],"Yoga,":[281],"qigong":[282],"chiimprove":[285],"quality":[286,303],"life,":[288],"convincing":[290],"for":[292],"yoga":[293],"depressive":[295],"symptoms":[296],"(Wen":[297],"al.,2025).":[299],"Transcendental":[300],"improves":[302],"life":[305],"stage":[307],"II\u2013IV":[308],"(Nidich":[309],"2009).":[312],"Ameta-synthesis":[313],"18":[315],"reports":[317],"that":[318],"50%":[319],"achieved":[320],"complete":[321],"sustained":[323],"(Pokorny,2026,":[325],"preprint).Conclusions.":[326],"does":[328],"not":[329],"\u201ccure\u201d":[330],"cancer,":[331],"it":[333],"is":[334,356],"complementary":[336],"intervention":[337],"withmeasurable":[338],"bases,":[340],"efficacy,":[343],"association\u2014in":[347],"rarebut":[348],"real":[349],"cases\u2014with":[350],"tumour":[351],"remission.":[354],"It":[355],"low-cost,":[357],"low-risk,":[358],"free":[359],"side":[361],"effects,and":[362],"be":[364],"practised":[365],"at":[366],"home.":[367]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-09T13:22:03.289127","created_date":"2026-11-08T00:00:00"}
