Toth, M., Marcantonio, E.R., Davis, R.B., Walton, T., Kahn, J.R., & Phillips, R.S. (2013). Massage therapy for patients with metastatic cancer: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 19, 650–656.
To determine the feasibility and effects of providing therapeutic massage at home for patients with metastatic cancer
The study shows that therapeutic massage at home is a feasible intervention. However, its effects on anxiety or pain were not conclusive. The small and uneven sample sizes across groups are a major weakness of the study. Although two measures were used for anxiety, the authors did not state which measures were used for the main analysis. Validity of measurements (i.e., alertness, and quality-of-life measure) is also problematic.
The role of nurses for this intervention is not clear. The massage therapy given in the present study was a professional intervention.