The efficacy of classical massage on stress perception and cortisol following primary treatment of breast cancer

Abstract

To investigate the efficacy of classical massage on stress perception and mood disturbances, 34 women diagnosed with primary breast cancer were randomized into an intervention or control group. For a period of 5 weeks, the intervention group (n = 17) received biweekly 30-min classical massages. The control group (n = 17) received no additional treatment to their routine health care. The Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Berlin Mood Questionnaire (BSF) were used and the patients' blood was collected at baseline (T1), at the end of the intervention period (T2), and 6 weeks after T2 (T3). Compared with control group, women in the intervention group reported significantly lower mood disturbances, especially for anger (p = 0.048), anxious depression (p = 0.03) at T2, and tiredness at T3 (p = 0.01). No group differences were found in PSQ scales, cortisol and serotonin concentrations at T2 and T3. However, perceived stress and cortisol serum levels (p = 0.03) were significantly reduced after massage therapy (T2) compared with baseline in the intervention group. Further research is needed to validate our findings.

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].…”

A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Repeated Massage on Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal and Immune Function in Healthy Individuals: A Study of Mechanisms of Action and Dosage

“…1 Massage is purported to have a wide array of benefits, ranging from being pleasurable to alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, back pain, asthma, cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Despite the popularity and high level of acceptance of massage, metaanalyses report significant reservations about the quality of the majority of studies published in the literature. 4,6,7 The conclusions of these analyses are that massage may reduce pain, stress, depression, anxiety, and cortisol, and enhance some immune parameters, but that more well-controlled studies are needed.…”

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

“…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. 37 With respect to the musculoskeletal system, massage is reported to decrease muscle hardness and muscle stiffness in patients with myofascial pain syndrome, 38 to increase range of motion at the hip following massage at the musculotendinous junction of the hamstrings, 39 and to decrease episiotomy rates and shorten duration of delivery following massage of the perineum during the second stage of delivery.…”