Cancer Treatments (Including Lymph Drainage Massage)

Healthnotes Newswire (March 6, 2003)—A team of researchers has developed a set of guidelines to help doctors advise their patients about the safety and efficacy of various treatments for cancer. Their report, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2002:137:889–903), evaluates a wide range of therapies, including dietary modifications, nutritional supplements, herbs, acupuncture, massage therapy, and exercise.

Massage therapy may help relieve anxiety associated with cancer. A specific massage technique, called manual lymph drainage, was found to be beneficial for women with chronic swelling and pain in the arm (lymphedema) after surgery for breast cancer. Several precautions were suggested in relation to the use of massage in cancer patients. The therapist should avoid the area directly over known tumors (in order to minimize the possibility of spreading the tumor), should not massage over areas of bone that might be affected by the cancer (in order to reduce the risk of fracture), and should avoid deep massage in people who are prone to bleeding.

According to the report, acupuncture can help control chemotherapy-related nausea and may also be useful for the treatment of cancer-related pain.