Efficacy of the complementary therapies in the management of cancer pain in palliative care: A systematic review.

Authors: Luís Carlos Lopes-Júnior, Gabriela Sylvestre Rosa, Raphael Manhães Pessanha, Sara Isabel Pimentel de Carvalho Schuab, Karolini Zuqui Nunes, Maria Helena Costa AmorimJournal: Revista latino-americana de enfermagemPublished: October 9, 2020DOI: 10.1590/1518-8345.4213.3377

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.722h-index: 35SCImago

Moderate EvidenceSystematic Reviewn=6 participants

Cancer Pain Management

In Plain Language: cancer pain, explained

The study examined the effectiveness of complementary therapies, particularly massage and acupuncture, in managing cancer pain for adult patients receiving palliative care. Results showed that massage and progressive muscle relaxation provided significant benefits, although acupuncture produced mixed results. This emphasizes the potential value of incorporating certain complementary therapies into pain management strategies for cancer patients.

Key Findings: what this systematic review found about cancer pain

✓815 studies were initially identified, of which 6 were analyzed.
✓3 of the studies focused on massage therapy, showing positive results.
✓1 study used a combination of relaxation techniques and guided imaging, also successful.
✓2 studies assessed acupuncture with mixed results, indicating further research is needed.
✓67% of analyzed studies had an uncertain risk of bias.

What This Means for You

For individuals considering reflexology treatment for cancer pain, this study suggests that certain therapies, like massage, may offer real relief. However, results for acupuncture are less clear, indicating that patients should discuss options thoroughly with their healthcare providers.

What This Means for Practitioners

Reflexology practitioners can use these findings to advocate for the inclusion of complementary therapies in cancer pain management plans, particularly emphasizing massage techniques that have shown significant benefits.

Study Design: how this systematic review was run

Blinding

open label

Control

none

Duration

not specified

Sample Size

6 participants

Limitations: what it cannot tell you about cancer pain

The systematic review had a limited number of studies included, affecting the strength of the conclusions. Additionally, the majority of the studies analyzed exhibited an uncertain risk of bias.

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Cancer pain: common questions

What does this study say about cancer pain?

What did this study find?

815 studies were initially identified, of which 6 were analyzed. 3 of the studies focused on massage therapy, showing positive results. 1 study used a combination of relaxation techniques and guided imaging, also successful.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence moderate. It covers 6 participants. It was published in Revista latino-americana de enfermagem, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.

What are the limitations of this study?

The systematic review had a limited number of studies included, affecting the strength of the conclusions. Additionally, the majority of the studies analyzed exhibited an uncertain risk of bias.