Sturgeon, M., Wetta-Hall, R., Hart, T., Good, M., & Dakhil, S. (2009). Effects of therapeutic massage on the quality of life among patients with breast cancer during treatment. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15, 373–380.
To test hypotheses regarding the effect of massage on anxiety, pain, nausea, sleep, and quality of life (QOL).
Patients were referred by their physicians and were provided a physician order for massage. Patients completed self-administered instruments prior to massage therapy and one week after therapy. Massage treatments lasted 30 minutes and were provided during treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy (RT) once per week for three weeks.
Patients were undergoing the active treatment phase of care.
The study used a pre-/posttest design.
STAI scores were lower after massage therapy (p = 0.03). Sleep scale items that showed improvement with massage were soundness of sleep (p = 0.05), time from settling down to sleeping (p = 0.02), and overall sleep satisfaction (p = 0.01). FACT-B scores also showed improvement in several areas after massage therapy (p < 0.05). Effect sizes in these areas were moderate (≥0.3).
Provision of massage therapy during treatment for breast cancer may reduce anxiety and improve sleep and aspects of QOL.
Massage therapy may assist women undergoing breast cancer treatment to better tolerate the impact of treatment, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep during active treatment.