{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T06:30:15Z","timestamp":1787725815559,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787702400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Oncol."],"abstract":"\n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To evaluate changes in psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, sleep problems, and pain intensity associated with participation in an embedded micro-mindfulness program among patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care, and to explore factors associated with psychological symptom response.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n This single-center, prospective, non-randomized observational study included 243 patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care at West China Hospital. Patients who participated in the departmental micro-mindfulness program in addition to usual care comprised the MM group (n = 121), whereas those who received usual care without participating in the program comprised the UC group (n = 122). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and weekly for 4 weeks. Primary outcomes were anxiety and depressive symptoms assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, respectively. Secondary outcomes included psychological distress assessed using the Distress Thermometer (DT), sleep problems assessed using the two-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-2), and pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Significant group \u00d7 time interactions were observed for GAD-7 (P\u00a0=\u00a00.001), PHQ-9 (P\u00a0=\u00a00.002), DT (P &lt; 0.001), and ISI-2 (P &lt; 0.001), with greater reductions over time observed in the MM group. The group \u00d7 time interaction for NRS was not significant (P\u00a0=\u00a00.371). In the MM group, 73 patients (60.3%) achieved psychological symptom response.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Embedded micro-mindfulness was associated with greater improvements in anxiety, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and sleep problems, but not pain intensity. These findings support further evaluation of this brief program as a supportive-care strategy for patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2026.1916107","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]],"date-time":"2026-08-26T06:04:33Z","timestamp":1787724273000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effects of embedded micro-mindfulness on psychological symptoms in patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care: a prospective controlled study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Qin","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Outpatient Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Qianer","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Outpatient Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aiping","family":"Deng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Outpatient Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dan","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dan","family":"Jia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Outpatient Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/spcare-2024-004940","article-title":"Psychological distress and physical symptoms in advanced cancer: cross-sectional study","volume":"15","author":"Podbury","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMJ Support Palliat Care"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jgo.2021.04.008","article-title":"Pain, symptom distress, and pain barriers by age among patients with cancer receiving hospice care: Comparison of baseline data","volume":"12","author":"Yoon","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Geriatr Oncol"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/NCC.0000000000001104","article-title":"Family caregivers' experiences of caring for advanced cancer patients: a qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis","volume":"46","author":"Zhu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cancer Nurs"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.24.00542","article-title":"Palliative care for patients with cancer: ASCO guideline update","volume":"42","author":"Sanders","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Clin Oncol"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.21037\/apm-22-162","article-title":"The effects of integrated palliative care on quality of life and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"11","author":"Xu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann Palliat Med"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjspcare-2021-002893","article-title":"Early palliative care and quality of dying and death in patients with advanced cancer","volume":"13","author":"Mah","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMJ Support Palliat Care"},{"key":"B7","article-title":"Lifestyle mindfulness in clinical practice","volume-title":"Statpearls","author":"Srour","year":"2024"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-3999(03)00573-7","article-title":"Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits. 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