Table 1.

Examples of stress reduction therapies useful for cancer patients.

Type of Therapy	Some Key Benefits	References
Meditation	Significantly less tumours compared with non-meditators; fewer admissions for cancer; decreased mortality from cancer; cancer regression	[54,55,56]
Tai Chi and Qi Gong	Positive effects on cancer-specific quality of life, as well as fatigue, anxiety, immune function and cortisol levels	[57]
Pet therapy	Significant improvements in social and emotional wellbeing despite high symptom burden and expected decreases in physical and functional wellbeing associated with radiation-chemotherapy treatment [58]; pet therapy during chemotherapy associated with significant decrease in depression and increase in oxygen saturation [44]	[58,59]
Art therapy	Decreased anxiety, depression and pain in patients with cancer; decreasing anxiety in those receiving cancer therapy; improvement in wellbeing	[60,61,62,63,64]
Music therapy	Reduction of anxiety, pain, fatigue and improved mood and quality of life	[65,66]
Writing therapy	Improved quality of life	[67]