SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2023
Massage therapy significantly improves cancer-related fatigue in cancer patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- Therapeutic Massage for Cancer Survivors: An Umbrella Review.Current oncology reports · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of manual interventions on overall symptoms, pain and quality of life in patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Pooled it
- Harms of massage in persons with cancer or receiving treatment for cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2026Pooled it
- Feasibility and Efficacy of Reiki Versus Massage for Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients With Breast and Prostate Cancer Receiving Hormone Therapy.Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN · 2026Trial
- The effect of hand massage on fatigue in women with cancer receiving brachytherapy: randomized clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Trial
- Cancer-related fatigue in cancer survivors: an updated clinical practice review for healthcare providers.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Review
- Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer.Molecular cancer · 2025Review
- [Physical therapy of cancer patients - narrative review and expert opinion].Magyar onkologia · 2025Review
- Integrative Approaches in the Treatment of Patients Affected by Lymphoma.Current oncology reports · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThis study was designed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of massage therapy in cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and to provide a reference for the future management of CRF.
methodsEight databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Sinomed, Chinese Scientific Journal database (VIP), Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)) were systematically reviewed from inception to May 2022 for randomized controlled trials. Two reviewers critically and independently assessed the risk of bias using Cochrane Collaboration criteria and extracted correlated data using the designed form. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 to calculate the pooled effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sensitivity analysis was performed to find the source of the heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed via funnel plot analysis and the Egger test.
resultA total of 11 qualified studies that included 789 patients (massage therapy group: 389; control group: 400) were included in the meta-analysis. Massage therapy had a marked effect on fatigue in cancer patients [standardized mean difference (SMD) = - 1.69, 95% CI (- 2.46, - 0.93), P < 0.01], especially in breast cancer [SMD = - 1.62, 95% CI (- 2.18, - 1.05), P < 0.01]. Reflexology [SMD = - 2.71, 95% CI (- 4.65, - 0.77), P < 0.01] and Chinese massage [SMD = - 1.14, 95% CI (- 1.95, - 0.33), P < 0.01] can have a more significant effect on fatigue. Massage time is 20 to 40 min [SMD = - 2.39, 95% CI (- 4.13, - 0.66), P < 0.01], twice a week [SMD = - 3.46, 95% CI (- 5.47, - 1.45), P < 0.01] for 3-5 weeks [SMD = - 2.36, 95% CI (- 3.53, - 1.19), P < 0.01], which is more effective in relieving fatigue in cancer patients. Five studies described the occurrence of adverse events and only two studies had adverse events.
conclusionMassage therapy can be effective in relieving fatigue in cancer patients. Current evidence suggests that reflexology is the most effective approach to relieve fatigue, particularly in the breast cancer patients. The optimal intervention frequency and cycle for massage therapy is twice a week for 3-5 weeks, and the optimal duration is 20-40 min.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.