Background: Healing Touch (HT) and Oncology Massage (OM) are nonpharmacologic pain interventions, yet a comparative effectiveness study has not been conducted for pain in breast cancer. Purpose: This breast cancer subgroup analysis compared the effectiveness of HT vs. OM on pain. Setting: The research occurred at an outpatient setting at an academic hybrid, multi-site, community-based cancer institute and Department of Supportive Oncology across four regional locations. Participants: Breast cancer outpatients along the cancer continuum who experienced routine clinical, nonexperimentally manipulated HT or OM. Research Design: The study was an observational, retrospective, comparative effectiveness post hoc subanalysis of a larger dataset. Patients reporting pain < 2 were excluded. Pre- and posttherapy pain scores and differences were calculated. Logistic regression modeled posttherapy pain by modality, adjusting for pretherapy pain. The proportions experiencing ? 2-point (clinically significant) pain reduction were compared with chi-square tests. Intervention: The study focused on the first session of either HT or OM. Main Outcome Measures: Pre- and posttherapy pain (range: 0 = no pain to 10 = worst possible pain). Results: A total of 407 patients reported pre- and posttherapy pain scores, comprised of 233 (57.3%) who received HT and 174 (42.8%) who received OM. Pretherapy mean pain was higher in HT (M=5.1, ± 2.3) than OM (M=4.3, ± 2.1) (p < .001); posttherapy mean pain remained higher in HT (M=2.7, ± 2.2) than OM (M=1.9, ± 1.7) (p < .001). Mean difference in pain reduction was 2.4 for both HT and OM. Both HT (p < .001) and OM (p < .001) were associated
C ancer patients and survivors often experience high symptom burden well addressed by integrative oncology (IO) and palliative medicine (PM). IO is ''evidence-based cancer care that utilizes mind and body practices, natural products, and/or lifestyle modifications alongside conventional cancer treatments to optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes.'' 1 IO is distinct from alternative medicine that is used instead of conventional treatments. 2 PM ''improves quality of life for patients and families during lifethreatening illness through prevention and relief of pain and other physical, psychosocial, and spiritual problems.'' 3 These definitions reveal common philosophies among both fields, which emphasize interdisciplinary person-centered care to enhance quality of life and reduce suffering. 4 Cancer and its treatments are often associated with fatigue, pain, neuropathy, nausea and vomiting, appetite changes, sleep disorders, hot flashes, shortness of breath, sexual and fertility issues, anxiety, and depression among other symptoms.
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