International Scholarly Research Notices

Review Article

The Use of Massage Therapy for Reducing Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Oncological Palliative Care Patients: A Narrative Review of the Literature

Studies excluded after examination of the full versions (own illustration in alphabetical order).


Study	Reason

Ernst [8]	Population comprises oncological children as well as adults. The intervention of massage therapy does not only refer to palliative care but also to curative and rehabilitative care.
Fellowes et al. [20]	This systematic review was published in 2004 and mainly refers to studies published before the year 2000.
Gorman et al. [21]	The aim initially set does not correspond to the results. The results of the initial aim will be published in a future study.
Gray [22]	Literature review of poor methodical quality (interventions and results were only partly stated).
Polubinski and West [23]	Practice report of poor methodical quality (data analysis, presentation of the results and description of the intervention).
Russell et al. [9]	This systematic review includes both children and adult oncological patients.
Smith et al. [24]	The intervention of the massage therapy refers to the characteristics of the massage therapy. The massage therapist is supposed to take into consideration, that is, the type of massage, the position of the patient, and so forth.
Wilkinson et al. [11]	This systematic review refers to adult oncological patients receiving care in any health care facility.