Sleep disturbances and anxiety are among the most common psychosocial problems negatively impacting quality of life in cancer survivors. These problems directly affect both the physical recovery process and long-term health outcomes. Sleep-based therapies are gaining increasing attention as non-pharmacological interventions with low side effects; methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, and sleep hygiene programs, in particular, are showing promising results in reducing anxiety. However, a systematic overview of the scope, methodological characteristics, and outcomes of clinical research in this area is lacking. While individual studies evaluating the effectiveness of sleep-based anxiety-reducing therapies in cancer survivors exist in the literature, a holistic analysis of these studies has not been conducted. Examining studies included in the largest international clinical trial registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov, is critical for mapping the available evidence. The rationale for this study is based on the following points: • Evidence gap: Sleep-based anxiety-reducing therapies in cancer survivors have not been systematically examined at the level of clinical trials registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov database. • Methodological transparency: Analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov records allows for comparison of studies in terms of design, sample size, type of intervention, outcome measures, and reporting standards. • Value for clinical practice: Findings will show healthcare professionals which therapies are underresearched, where there are gaps in research, and the current state of evidence that can be translated into clinical practice. • Guiding future research: The review will provide guidance in planning new clinical trials, cultural adaptations of existing therapies, and methodological improvements.
Çağlar et al. (Thu,) studied this question.