Massage therapy may decrease pain and improve mood in patients with advanced cancer, according to a new study published in the September 16, 2008 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine .

Previous research has suggested that massage therapy may relieve pain and other symptoms associated with cancer. In this study, researchers from the University of Colorado and Florida Atlantic University evaluated 380 adults with advanced cancer who were experiencing moderate or severe pain in order to determine the efficacy of massage for decreasing pain and improving quality of life. They found that, among patients who were treated with six 30-minute massage sessions over 2 weeks, there was immediate improvement in pain and mood. However, these improvements did not seem to be sustained over time.

Interestingly, even patients who were treated with simple touch showed immediate improvements in pain and mood, although the improvements were not as significant as those that were observed with massage therapy. The results of this study suggest that both massage and simple touch can improve quality of life among advanced cancer patients and, perhaps, should be considered as part of the cancer treatment plan.

Source

Ann Intern Med. 2008;149:369-379.