Evaluating the effectiveness of massage therapy for chemotherapy-induced nerve disease

The study evaluated the effectiveness of massage therapy for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CPIN) in patients with breast and gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. The main finding of the study was that intensive massage therapy 3 times a week showed promising results in these patients. 

There are many cancer treatments that cause neurologic toxicity such as CIPN. CIPN consists of symptoms that occur due to damage to the peripheral nerves. CIPN symptoms include pain, burning, numbness, and tingling sensations. The severity of CIPN depends on the type and dose of the cancer drug. It can affect the daily quality of life of patients.

Common chemotherapy drugs that cause CIPN are oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), cisplatin (Platinol), carboplatin (Paraplatin), paclitaxel (Taxol), docetaxel (Taxotere). These drugs are commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer (BC), GI cancer such as colorectal cancer (CRC), or prostate cancer (PC). Up to half of these patients can develop CIPN

Although there is a wide range of medications available to prevent or reduce CIPN symptoms, there is no current golden standard of treatment. Duloxetine (Cymbalta), an anti-depressive drug, can treat CIPN but comes with many side effects.

Currently, other treatment modalities such as massage therapy have been explored in other medical conditions. Massage therapy has helped improve PN in conditions such as diabetes and carpal tunnel syndrome. However, the effects of massage therapy on CPIN are still under investigation.

The study included 71 patients with BC and GI cancer with leg CIPN. All patients were randomly assigned to a massage group. Group 1 consisted of leg massage 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Group 2 consisted of leg massage 2 times a week for 6 weeks. Groups 3 and 4 (control groups) had massages in other areas such as the head, neck, and shoulder 3 times a week for 4 weeks and 2 times a week for 6 weeks, respectively. Patients were followed up for 10 weeks. 

A massage 3 times a week was more effective (fewer symptoms) than 2 times a week, regardless of the location of the massage. However, massaging 3 times per week directly at the CPIN-affected area resulted in better outcomes. 

In the last interview, 88.2% of patients agreed that massage treatment improved their symptoms.

The study concluded that 3 times a week massage therapy was effective in improving symptoms of CIPN in patients with BC and CRC. 

This study was done in one medical center only. There was no placebo group. This may have influenced the results.