Effect of Meaning-in-Life Interventions for Advanced Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This article systematically reviews and meta-analyzes the effects of meaning-in-life interventions, based on Frankl's logotherapy, on advanced cancer patients' psychological outcomes, including meaning in life, quality of life, spiritual well-being, anxiety, and depression. Seven randomized controlled trials involving 718 patients were included, with meta-analyses showing no significant improvements in spiritual well-being, depression, or anxiety following the interventions, though some individual studies reported positive effects on meaning in life and quality of life. The review highlights limitations such as small sample sizes, methodological biases, and heterogeneity among studies, underscoring the need for larger, rigorously designed trials to clarify the efficacy of meaning-in-life interventions in this population. The findings emphasize the importance of further research to integrate such interventions into healthcare for advanced cancer patients, addressing their existential and psychological needs.