WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for October, 1999: Re: Massage Therapy?

Re: Massage Therapy?

From: Ellen (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat, 30 Oct 1999 17:08:12 -0500 (CDT)

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In reply to: Patti Tessler, FNP: "Re: Massage Therapy?"

At Sat, 30 Oct 1999, Patti Tessler, FNP wrote: >
>At Mon, 4 Oct 1999, Patti Tessler, FNP wrote:
>>
>>At Mon, 4 Oct 1999, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>>
>>>At Sun, 3 Oct 1999, Patti Tessler, FNP wrote:
>>>>
>>>>At Sun, 3 Oct 1999, Ellen wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>I just read somewhere that it is not advisable for cancer
>>>>>survivors/patients to have a massage. Is this true, and if so, why?
>>>>
>>>>The group that can be labeled "cancer survivors/patients" is so large
>>>>and diverse that I have a hard time understanding such a blanket
>>>>warning. If you would kindly provide a reference or quote, which would
>>>>allow us to consider the context of the recommendation, we might be able
>>>>to address your question more completely. Any recollection of where you
>>>>read this statement?
>>>>
>>>It was posted by an oncologic nurse on another website. I also heard
>>>the same thing from a massage therapist who said it could spread cancer
>>>through stimulation of the lymph nodes. Any truth to this?
>>
>>I'm going to look into it further -- it may take some time. I strongly
>>urge you to discuss the recommendation with the oncology nurse who
>>posted it in the first place. Does s/he have any references to support
>>this recommendation? Does it apply to all types of cancer? Again, such a
>>blanket recommendation does not make sense to me. But my interest is
>>piqued!
>
>I've collected a little more information on this topic, although little
>is available.

Patti: Thank you so much for all your hard work in researching this question. I could not find much on the topic either, but I really appreciate your keeping at it and finding the information you found. It is very helpful. Thanks! Ellen >
>Using a Medline search on "cancer" and "massage," I found only one study
>that looked at the potential effects of massage on the disease itself,
>and the study did not examine cancer patients per se, but extrapolated
>its findings from HIV to cancer patients. The reference is: Massage
>therapy is associated with enhancement of the immune system's cytotoxic
>capacity. Ironson G; Field T; Scafidi F; Hashimoto M; Kumar M; Kumar A;
>Price A; Goncalves A; Burman I; Tetenman C; Patarca R; Fletcher MA. Int
>J Neurosci, 84(1-4):205-17 1996 Feb. These researchers work through the
>Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Fl,
>USA, which my sources tell me is a group working on research trials of
>massage therapy and its effects on diseases.
>
>Two of the most common uses of massage in cancer patients are for pain
>relief and for relief of lymphedema, a side effect that occurs after
>certain types of breast cancer surgery. The studies I found often
>referred to these uses, but did not address possible harm from massage.
>
>I spoke with two licensed massage therapists, one of whom is also a
>family nurse practitioner. Both were aware that there were reasons to
>limit the use of certain massage modalities in certain cancer patients,
>and both required cancer patients to get clearance from their
>oncologists prior to starting massage therapy. One noted that some
>massage modalities, such as Swedish massage, have more likelihood of
>stimulating the lymphatic circulation (and possibly spreading cancer
>cells) than other modalities, such as Reiki (which is hands-off) and
>Shiatsu; however, he required oncology clearance prior to starting any
>treatment.
>
>To sum up, the wisdom of the use of massage in cancer patients seems to
>depend on the individual's situation. The decision should be made in
>conjunction with the person's oncologist as well as a licensed massage
>therapist. There are cancer-related medical problems, such as
>lymphedema, for which massage is an important therapy. It appears that
>no blanket statement can be made about the safety or danger of massage
>in people with cancer.
>
>Hope that helped. Sorry for the delay -- that was a tough one!
>
>--
>Patti Tessler, BSN, MSN, RN, CS
>Family Nurse Practitioner
>

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