You can read the full article by clicking on the button at the bottom of this page.
What Does the Research Show?
- Clinical practice guidelines issued(link is external) in 2009 by the Society for Integrative Oncology recommends considering massage therapy delivered by an oncology-trained massage therapist as part of a multimodality treatment approach in patients experiencing anxiety or pain.
- In 2017 the Society for Integrative Oncology issued guidelines(link is external) on the evidence-based use of integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment, recommending the use of massage therapy to improve mood disturbance in breast cancer survivors after active treatment (grade B). This recommendation is based on results from six trials.
- In clinical practice guidelines(link is external) issued by the American College of Chest Physicians in 2013, massage therapy is suggested as part of a multi-modality cancer supportive care program for lung cancer patients whose anxiety or pain is not adequately controlled by usual care.
- A 2016 Cochrane review(link is external) of 19 small studies involving 1,274 participants found some studies suggesting that massage with or without aromatherapy may help relieve pain and anxiety in people with cancer; however, the quality of the evidence was very low and results were not consistent.
- Another 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies concluded that based on the available evidence, weak recommendations are suggested for massage therapy, compared to an active comparator, for the treatment of pain, fatigue, and anxiety.
Safety
- To avoid possible adverse effects, the massage therapist should not use deep or intense pressure without the health care providers’ approval and may need to avoid certain sites, such as areas directly over a tumor or a known thrombus, or areas where the skin may be sensitive following radiation therapy.