# Spirituality as a Means of Adaptation to Life and Illness for Oncology Patients: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Studies between 2019 and 2025

## TL;DR

Spirituality helps cancer patients cope with illness and life, but its effects depend on how it is expressed.

## Contribution

This review identifies how positive and negative spiritual expressions impact cancer patients' mental health and adjustment.

## Key findings

- Positive spirituality is linked to better mental health and adjustment in oncology patients.
- Negative spirituality is associated with worse health outcomes and lower adjustment.
- There is a lack of consensus on defining and measuring spirituality in oncology.

## Abstract

This scoping review examines the role of spirituality in helping oncology patients adapt to illness and life. An analysis of 49 quantitative studies from 2019 to 2025 revealed that positive manifestations of spirituality are linked to better mental health and improved adjustment to cancer and treatment. However, negative manifestations of spirituality are associated with poorer health outcomes and lower levels of adjustment. The lack of consensus regarding the definition and measurement of spirituality in oncology presents challenges. This study highlights the need to integrate structured spiritual care into cancer treatment.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10943-025-02550-w.