A systematic review association of reflexology in managing symptoms and side effects of breast cancer treatment
Moderate EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology for cancer pain, explained
Reflexology is one of complementary approaches most used by patients with breast cancer. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the effects of reflexology on managing symptoms and side effects of breast cancer treatment. Data sources included PubMed, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The criteria were applied to 224 articles and only six articles met the criteria. Four studies were randomized control trials and two were quasi-experimental designs. Sample sizes varied from 60 to 385 participants. All reflexology programs were taught by certified reflexologists. The results showed that reflexology is associated with benefits for both psychological and physical aspects. Reflexology was reported to improve quality of life, but not for depression or anxiety. It was also beneficial for reducing fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, but not for peripheral neuropathy. enough high-level evidence has not been reported to confirm the effectiveness of reflexology on breast cancer symptom management.
Key Findings: what this systematic review found about cancer pain
- ✓Reflexology was found to improve quality of life in breast cancer patients but showed no significant benefits for depression or anxiety.
- ✓Reflexology demonstrated effectiveness in reducing fatigue, nausea, and vomiting in breast cancer treatment patients, but was not beneficial for peripheral neuropathy.
- ✓Only six studies met the inclusion criteria out of 224 articles reviewed, indicating insufficient high-level evidence to confirm reflexology's effectiveness for managing breast cancer symptoms.
What This Means for You
Reflexology may help with some breast cancer treatment side effects like fatigue and nausea, but there isn't yet enough strong scientific evidence to confirm it works reliably for all symptoms.
What This Means for Practitioners
Document and track outcomes from your reflexology work with breast cancer clients to build the evidence base needed to validate its effectiveness in symptom management.
Reflexology for cancer pain: common questions
Does reflexology help with cancer pain?
Reflexology may help with some breast cancer treatment side effects like fatigue and nausea, but there isn't yet enough strong scientific evidence to confirm it works reliably for all symptoms.
What did this study find?
Reflexology was found to improve quality of life in breast cancer patients but showed no significant benefits for depression or anxiety. Reflexology demonstrated effectiveness in reducing fatigue, nausea, and vomiting in breast cancer treatment patients, but was not beneficial for peripheral neuropathy. Only six studies met the inclusion criteria out of 224 articles reviewed, indicating insufficient high-level evidence to confirm reflexology's effectiveness for managing breast cancer symptoms.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence moderate. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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