Massage therapy for cancer palliation and supportive care: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials.
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language: cancer pain, explained
A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effects of massage therapy on cancer patients, specifically looking at its ability to alleviate symptoms like pain, nausea, and anxiety. The findings suggest that massage can provide relief, but the evidence is not strong enough to draw definitive conclusions due to poor study quality. This highlights the need for better-designed studies in the future.
Key Findings: what this systematic review found about cancer pain
- ✓Massage can alleviate pain, nausea, and anxiety in cancer patients.
- ✓Roughly 14 trials were included in the review.
- ✓Methodological quality of studies was generally poor, limiting firm conclusions.
What This Means for You
For individuals considering massage therapy as part of cancer treatment, the review indicates it may help reduce symptoms such as pain and anxiety, but it's essential to approach it as a complementary treatment, not a replacement for medical care.
What This Means for Practitioners
Reflexology practitioners could incorporate findings from this review by emphasizing the potential benefits of massage for symptom relief in cancer patients and consider integrating massage techniques into their practice when appropriate.
Study Design: how this systematic review was run
Limitations: what it cannot tell you about cancer pain
The review identifies the limitation of poor methodological quality across included studies, which hampers the ability to draw solid conclusions regarding the efficacy of massage therapy for cancer symptom management.
Cancer pain: common questions
What does this study say about cancer pain?
For individuals considering massage therapy as part of cancer treatment, the review indicates it may help reduce symptoms such as pain and anxiety, but it's essential to approach it as a complementary treatment, not a replacement for medical care.
What did this study find?
Massage can alleviate pain, nausea, and anxiety in cancer patients. Roughly 14 trials were included in the review. Methodological quality of studies was generally poor, limiting firm conclusions.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence limited. It was published in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, a Q1 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
What are the limitations of this study?
The review identifies the limitation of poor methodological quality across included studies, which hampers the ability to draw solid conclusions regarding the efficacy of massage therapy for cancer symptom management.
Related Research
Complementary therapy in practice
Effect of Reflexology on Decreasing Postoperative Pain and Anxiety After Total Abdominal Hysterectomy: Erratum
Engaging Patients in Research That Involves Meditation: Religious Concerns and Nursing Implications
Improving Quality of Life in The Constipated Older Person: Reflexology or Abdominal Massage? A Two-Group, Randomized Comparative Trial
Effect of Reflexology on Decreasing Postoperative Pain and Anxiety After Total Abdominal Hysterectomy
Looking for a reflexologist?
Find practitioners who can help with the conditions studied in this research.
Find a Reflexologist