Umbrella Review of Psychosocial, Physical, and Combined Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: Impacts on Quality of Life and Health-Related Outcomes

Perizat Aitmaganbet, L. Ishimova, Anar Balkashevna Tulyayeva, Maya Alibekova, Guldana Eskabylova

2026

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DOI 10.1177/21565333261464971
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

RELEVANCE: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer represent a particularly vulnerable group with unique developmental, psychosocial, and functional challenges. Beyond survival, improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become a major priority in cancer survivorship and public health. PURPOSE: This umbrella review aimed to critically synthesize evidence from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating the effectiveness of physical, psychosocial, and mixed interventions for improving HRQoL and related health outcomes in AYA (e.g., cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and physical functioning) cancer patients and survivors. METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ScienceDirect identified eligible systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2015 and 2025. RESULTS: Fifteen reviews were included. Physical activity interventions showed the most consistent moderate benefits, particularly in reducing fatigue and improving physical functioning and domain-specific HRQoL. Psychosocial interventions demonstrated small-to-moderate improvements in anxiety, depression, and emotional well-being. Mixed interventions showed promising but less robust evidence, particularly due to limited long-term follow-up. Overall evidence certainty ranged from low to moderate. Primary study redundancy was minimal (the corrected covered area = 1.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial interventions, especially exercise-based and psychosocial programs, can improve key HRQoL domains in AYAs with cancer. However, more rigorous long-term studies are required, particularly for combined and digital approaches.