TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of oncology massage on symptom self-report for cancer patients and their caregivers
AU - Lopez, Gabriel
AU - Liu, Wenli
AU - Milbury, Kathrin
AU - Spelman, Amy
AU - Wei, Qi
AU - Bruera, Eduardo
AU - Cohen, Lorenzo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - Background: Massage has shown benefit for symptomatic relief in cancer patients and their caregivers. We explored the effects of a single massage session on self-reported symptoms in an outpatient clinic at a comprehensive cancer center. Methods: Patients and caregivers receiving oncology massage treatments (30 or 60-min duration) at our Integrative Medicine Center outpatient clinic from September 2012 to January 2015 completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS; 0–10 scale, 10 most severe) pre and post massage. ESAS individual items and subscales of physical distress (PHS), psychological distress (PSS), and global distress (GDS) were analyzed. We used paired t tests with a p value correction (i.e., p < .001) to examine symptoms pre/post massage. Results: Initial massage visits for 343 patients and 87 caregivers were analyzed. The highest symptom burdens (means) at baseline for patients were sleep 4.22, fatigue 3.57, and pain 2.94; for caregivers, sleep 3.77, well-being 3.01, and pain 2.59. Although patients reported significantly greater global distress and physical symptoms (p < .0001) compared to caregivers at baseline, groups did not differ in regard to psychological symptom burden (p = .66) and individual symptom scores (e.g., pain, sleep, spiritual pain). Massage therapy was associated with statistically (p < .0001) and clinically significant improvements in symptoms of pain, fatigue, anxiety, well-being, and sleep and ESAS subscales for both patients and caregivers. Greater massage duration (30 vs 60 min) did not lead to greater symptom reduction. Conclusions: Patients and caregivers reported a moderately high symptom burden. A single massage treatment resulted in acute relief of self-reported symptoms in both groups. Further study is warranted regarding optimal massage dose and frequency.
AB - Background: Massage has shown benefit for symptomatic relief in cancer patients and their caregivers. We explored the effects of a single massage session on self-reported symptoms in an outpatient clinic at a comprehensive cancer center. Methods: Patients and caregivers receiving oncology massage treatments (30 or 60-min duration) at our Integrative Medicine Center outpatient clinic from September 2012 to January 2015 completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS; 0–10 scale, 10 most severe) pre and post massage. ESAS individual items and subscales of physical distress (PHS), psychological distress (PSS), and global distress (GDS) were analyzed. We used paired t tests with a p value correction (i.e., p < .001) to examine symptoms pre/post massage. Results: Initial massage visits for 343 patients and 87 caregivers were analyzed. The highest symptom burdens (means) at baseline for patients were sleep 4.22, fatigue 3.57, and pain 2.94; for caregivers, sleep 3.77, well-being 3.01, and pain 2.59. Although patients reported significantly greater global distress and physical symptoms (p < .0001) compared to caregivers at baseline, groups did not differ in regard to psychological symptom burden (p = .66) and individual symptom scores (e.g., pain, sleep, spiritual pain). Massage therapy was associated with statistically (p < .0001) and clinically significant improvements in symptoms of pain, fatigue, anxiety, well-being, and sleep and ESAS subscales for both patients and caregivers. Greater massage duration (30 vs 60 min) did not lead to greater symptom reduction. Conclusions: Patients and caregivers reported a moderately high symptom burden. A single massage treatment resulted in acute relief of self-reported symptoms in both groups. Further study is warranted regarding optimal massage dose and frequency.
KW - Complementary medicine
KW - Edmonton Symptom Assessment System
KW - Integrative medicine
KW - Oncology massage
KW - Patient-reported outcomes
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U2 - 10.1007/s00520-017-3784-7
DO - 10.1007/s00520-017-3784-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 28660350
AN - SCOPUS:85025142275
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 25
SP - 3645
EP - 3650
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 12
ER -