Massage therapy reduces physical discomfort and improves mood disturbances in women with breast cancer

Abstract

BACKGROUND. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the efficacy of classical massage treatment in reducing breast cancer-related symptoms and in improving mood disturbances. METHODS. Women diagnosed with primary breast cancer were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. For a period of 5 weeks, the intervention group received bi-weekly 30-min classical massages in the back and head-neck areas. The control group received no additional treatment to their routine healthcare. To evaluate treatment efficacy, the following validated questionnaires were administrated at baseline (T1), at the end of the intervention (T2), and at a followup at 11 weeks (T3): the Short Form-8 Health Survey, the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire breast module (EORTC QLQ-BR23), the Giessen Complaints Inventory (GBB), and the Berlin Mood Questionnaire (BSF). RESULTS. Eighty-six eligible women (mean age: 59 years) were enrolled in the study. A significantly higher reduction of physical discomfort was found in the intervention group compared with the control group at T2 (p=0.001) and at T3 (p=0.038). A decrease in fatigue was also observed. Women in the intervention group reported significantly lower mood disturbances at T2 (p<0.01) but not at T3. The effect of treatment on mood disturbances was significantly higher if a patient was treated continuously by the same masseur. CONCLUSION. Classical massage seems to be an effective adjuvant treatment for reducing physical discomfort and fatigue, and improving mood disturbances in women with early stage breast cancer.

Depression, mood, stress, and Th1/Th2 immune balance in primary breast cancer patients undergoing classical massage therapy

“…This indicates that classical massage also has a certain psychotherapeutic component arising from the therapist"s attention [33]. Further investigation will be necessary to identify to what extent the psychological massage effects can be ascribed to the classical massage itself and what part the relationship to the therapist plays [33,38,42].…”

“…The patients were treated on a massage table, lying in a prone position. Massage therapy was applied according to a standardized protocol [33]. Stroking, kneading, and frictions were used to massage the following muscles: sternocleidomastoid muscles, trapezius muscles, rhomboid muscles, small neck muscles, supraspinatus muscles, teres major muscles, levator scapulae muscles, autochthonal back muscles, latissimus dorsi muscles, and pectoral muscles.…”

Effect of a Brief Seated Massage on Nursing Student Attitudes Toward Touch for Comfort Care

“…28 A nonrandomized controlled study of a 20-minute seated massage in young adult psychiatric inpatients found significantly reduced self-reported anxiety and resting heart rate. 29 A larger literature reports benefits following full-body massage in a variety of patient populations and conditions: RCTs of full-body massage in patients report significantly decreased pain and improved function in patients with chronic low back pain; 30 significantly reduced pain, anxiety, and tension in postoperative cardiac patients; 31 significantly increased heart rate variability and improved mood in breast cancer survivors with cancer-related fatigue; 32 significantly reduced pain, increased muscle relaxation, and improved mood in hospice inpatients with metastatic bone pain; 33 significantly reduced depression in patients with breast cancer; 34 significantly decreased physical discomfort and fatigue 35 and perceived stress in breast cancer patients. 36 Significantly reduced pain and anxiety in patients with chronic nonmalignant pain following nurse-administered 15-minute back massage has been reported.…”

Complementary and alternative theraphy methods used in the management of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting

“…Masaj ile ilgili meme kanserli hastaları ile yapılan iki adet randomize klinik çalışmanın sonuç-ları incelendiğinde; masaj grubunda tüm masajları takiben bulantı deneyiminin dikkat çekici düzeyde azalma bildirilmiştir. [46,47] Myers, Walton, Bratsman, Wilson ve Small'ın 2008 [48] yapmış olduğu metaanalizde masajın, bulantı şiddetini azaltmada etkili olduğu vurgulanmıştır.…”