Guided talks may help people with cancer move more and feel more capable.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The review covered 21 studies with 4,154 adults who had or survived cancer. Most studies were of breast or mixed cancers, and average ages across the studies ran from about 44 to 67.

2. 02

   What they did

   Guided talks were given in person, by phone or both, in one to 32 sessions of 10 to 75 minutes. Many people also got pedometers, printed material, group sessions or supervised exercise. The other groups got usual care or nothing extra.

3. 03

   What happened

   The talks led to more activity, more confidence and less depression than other care. Body weight and walking distance also improved, but quality of life, anxiety and tiredness did not differ. Most results were rated low or very low, they varied a lot, and talk-givers knew which group people were in.

What the review found

1. HelpedGoals

   In these trials, guided talks led people with cancer to be more active than the other groups.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies with 423 people · vs people who got usual care or nothing extra · the authors rated their certainty moderate

2. HelpedMotivation

   Guided talks made people with cancer more confident in their ability to change than the other groups.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies with 746 people · vs people who got usual care or nothing extra · they rated themselves · the authors rated their certainty very low · ⚠ the studies disagreed a lot

Source