Cancer does not only destroy the body but crushes the spirit as well. A weak body coupled with a weak spirit is not a good formula when dealing with this malignant disease. It is therefore imperative that we utilize every possible means to alleviate any suffering cancer-inflicted patients may experience.
Use of complementary and alternative therapy is not foreign to the management of cancer-related symptoms such as pain, anxiety, fatigue and many others. Health practitioners should be aware of the presence of such therapies in order to be able to recommend it as an adjuvant intervention. One of the most widely used complementary and alternative therapies is massage.
Use of complementary and alternative therapy is not foreign to the management of cancer-related symptoms such as pain, anxiety, fatigue and many others. Health practitioners should be aware of the presence of such therapies in order to be able to recommend it as an adjuvant intervention. One of the most widely used complementary and alternative therapies is massage.
Massage therapy, specifically called oncology massage referring to the type of massage given by highly trained massage therapists to patients with history of cancer, is a modest procedure that involve physical manipulation, ranging from light to deep pressure, which can brought myriad of benefits to relieve symptoms associated with the disease progression and even the side effects brought about by the treatment itself. Although it cannot refute or stop the spread of cancer cells, massage appears to hold a promising potential in symptom management and improving the quality of life among cancer patients.
Several reviews on available scientific research literature have affirmed the benefits of massage therapy. Its advantages include but not limited to the reduction in pain, improving immune function, decreasing stress and fatigue, relieving anxiety, and promoting sleep and relaxation. According to a study conducted at a major cancer center, massage therapy is correlated with an essential improvement in cancer patients' symptom scores. By assessing the severity of cancer symptoms-such as pain, fatigue, stress/anxiety, nausea, depression, and along with other indicators-among inpatient and outpatient subjects; the small, randomized trial concluded that symptoms scores were reduced by as much as 50%, with benefits continuing after 48-hour follow-up.
Similarly, a systematic review of randomized clinical trial that was published in the journal of Supportive Care Cancer stated that massage therapy can alleviate wide range of cancer symptoms including depression, anger, stress, pain, nausea, and anxiety among others. Methodologically, the review utilized six databases with the primary goal of disparagingly appraising massage as a palliative treatment for cancer. Moreover, another randomized clinical trial among women with primary breast cancer was conducted to determine the efficacy of massage therapy in decreasing breast cancer symptoms as well as in alleviating mood disturbances. True enough; women receiving the massage experienced a significant reduction in physical discomfort and fatigue in contrast to the women in the control group. Also, women in the intervention group conveyed lower mood disturbances, with effects persisting if they are treated by the same massage therapist. Furthermore, it was also found out that in addition to reducing anxiety, depression, and anger, massage can also improve immune and neuroendocrine functions as cited in another randomized controlled clinical trial.
Although generally considered to be safe and effective, patients and healthcare practitioners alike need to have the approval of the physician before employing this palliative strategy and must employ only the service of a highly trained masseuse. Nevertheless, with more results of studies leaning toward the positive benefits of massage, this complementary medicine offers us another insight that cancer, no matter how hopeless the case maybe, is not something we should back down without putting an upfront fight. By controlling symptoms, massage, as a non-invasive and cost-efficient therapy, can positively influence and contribute to the overall improvements in the quality of life of cancer patients.
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