Therapeutic massage may ease fatigue in breast cancer

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

Researchers continue to examine the effects of massage therapy and how it may help to reduce fatigue in patients with breast cancer.

The Emory cancer fatigue study, led by Mark Hyman Rapaport, MD, is being conducted in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory.

“We decided to look at massage therapy for cancer fatigue because cancer-related fatigue is one of the most prevalent and debilitating symptoms experienced by people with cancer,” Dr. Rapaport said.

They examined post-surgical patients with breast cancer aged between 18 and 65 who were being treated with standard chemotherapy, chemoprevention and/or radiation, and were found to be suffering from cancer-related fatigue. Patients were between six and four years post-treatment.

In six weeks of treatment, participants are assigned to one of three groups: once-a-week Swedish massage, once-a-week light touch massage, or six-week wait period followed by six weeks of either light touch or Swedish massage.

Vital signs and immune markers are measured at each visit. Investigators are continuing to analyze and compile the data to make a final evaluation on treatment success.