Objective To conduct a scoping review of studies on the application of emotional freedom techniques in cancer patients, map the current research landscape, and to provide references for optimizing nursing intervention protocols to improve the quality of physical and psychological rehabilitation in cancer patients. Methods Following the JBI methodology for scoping reviews, we searched CNKI, Wanfang Data, SinoMed, VIP, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and CINAHL from inception to October 2025.Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. Results A total of 21 relevant studies were included. Intervention formats comprised in-person sessions, online interventions, and mixed online-offline approaches.Intervention duration was mostly 4-8 weeks.Outcome measures included symptom burden and physical function, psychosocial adaptation and emotional health, disease management capacity, and overall health outcomes. Conclusion Emotional freedom techniques show potential for application in cancer patients, but current studies exhibit heterogeneity in intervention protocols, outcome measures, and methodologies.Future efforts should focus on developing standardized intervention protocols, conducting high-quality, long-term studies, and exploring implementation pathways through digital and integrated care models.