Mind–body therapies use the connection between mind and body to influence well-being. In cancer care the best-studied include mindfulness meditation (such as MBSR), yoga, tai chi and qigong, and relaxation/breathing techniques. Clinical guidelines from the Society for Integrative Oncology and ASCO recommend several of these — for example, mindfulness-based approaches for anxiety and depression, and yoga and mindfulness for fatigue and quality of life during and after treatment. They are complementary: used alongside standard treatment to help people cope with symptoms and stress, not to treat the cancer. Gentle forms can be adapted for people with limited energy or mobility.
Through classes, apps, or one-on-one instruction — MBSR is a structured multi-week program; gentle/restorative yoga, tai chi and qigong emphasize slow movement and breath. Programs designed for people with cancer adapt intensity and positioning to ability and treatment stage.
Benefits tend to grow with regular practice. These approaches are low-risk and portable, and many cancer centers offer classes. They support — and do not replace — medical care.