• Oncology nursing forum · May 2008

    Review

    Massage therapy as a supportive care intervention for children with cancer.

    • Deborah Hughes, Elena Ladas, Diane Rooney, and Kara Kelly.
    • Division of Pediatric Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian, New York, USA. dh493@columbia.edu
    • Oncol Nurs Forum. 2008 May 1; 35 (3): 431-42.

    Purpose/ObjectivesTo review relevant literature about massage therapy to assess the feasibility of integrating the body-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practice as a supportive care intervention for children with cancer.Data SourcesPubMed, online references, published government reports, and the bibliographies of retrieved articles, reviews, and books on massage and massage and cancer. More than 70 citations were reviewed.Data SynthesisMassage therapy may help mitigate pain, anxiety, depression, constipation, and high blood pressure and may be beneficial during periods of profound immune suppression. Massage techniques light to medium in pressure are appropriate in the pediatric oncology setting.ConclusionsMassage is an applicable, noninvasive, therapeutic modality that can be integrated safely as an adjunct intervention for managing side effects and psychological conditions associated with anticancer treatment in children. Massage may support immune function during periods of immunosuppression.Implications For NursingPediatric oncology nurses are vital in helping patients safely integrate CAM into conventional treatment. Pediatric oncology nurses can help maximize patient outcomes by assessing, advocating, and coordinating massage therapy services as a supportive care intervention.

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