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

Table 3

Table summarising the results of the data extraction (own illustration in alphabetical order).

Author	Design and sample	Intervention	Assessment instrument	Results	Remark
Cassileth, Vickers, [12]	Quasiexperimental study; Three groups: (i) classic massage: 𝑛=560,; (ii) therapeutic touch: 𝑛=90,; (iii) foot massage: 𝑛=585.	Three sessions lasting 30 minutes each with institutionalised patients and lasting 60 minutes with patients living at home.	(i) VAS (for measuring pain, fatigue, stress/anxiety, nausea, and depression)	Immediate effect: (i) VAS (reduction of pain): mean average value of change −1.7 (SD±2); 𝑃=0.05; (ii) VAS (reduction of anxiety): mean average value of change −2.8 (SD±2.5); (iii) VAS (reduction of depression): mean average value of change −1.2 (SD±1.9); VAS >4: highest effect (mean average value of change: pain: −2.9; anxiety: −4; depression: −3)	No randomisation
Downey et al., [17]	Randomised controlled study; Three groups: (i) massage: 𝑛=56,; (ii) meditation: 𝑛=56,; (iii) control group: 𝑛=55.	35-minute massage therapy or meditation	(i) MSAS (Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale): immediate pain reduction	(i) MSAS (immediate pain reduction): 𝑃=0.573; Massage therapy does not show a statistically significant reduction of pain.
Jane et al.; [18]	Observational study: (i) Intervention group: 𝑛=30	Administration of a full-body massage. Duration: 45 minutes.	(i) PPI-VAS (present pain intensity using a vertical visual analogue scale: immediate change of pain intensity); (ii) MSF-MPQ (Short-Form McGrill Pain Questionnaire and the Brief Pain Inventory): Quality and localisation of pain; (iii) VAS (Anxiety-VAS)	Immediate effect: (i) PPI-VAS: 𝑃=0.001; (ii) VAS: 𝑃=0.001; Medium-term effect: (i) PPI-VAS and VAS at 15 minutes: 𝑃<0.002; (ii) PPI-VAS and VAS at 20 minutes: 𝑃<0.000; Long-term effect (at 16–18 hours postintervention); (i) MSF-MPQ for pain quality: 𝑃=0.08; (ii) MSF-MPQ for pain localisation: 𝑃=0.04	Control group missing
Kutner et al., [13]	Multicentred randomised clinical study and meta-analytical trial; Two groups: (i) intervention group: 𝑛=188,; (ii) control group: 𝑛=192.	Six full-body massages administered within two weeks. Duration: 30 minutes each.	Immediate effect: (i) MPAC (Memorial Pain Assessment Card 0–10 scale): Immediate change in pain; (ii) MPAC (Memorial Pain Assessment Card 0–10 scale): Immediate and lasting effect of mood; Long-term effect: (i) BPI (Brief Pain Inventory BPI 0–10 scale): Long-term change in pain	Immediate effect: (i) MPAC (pain): mean average value of change −1.87; (ii) MPAC (mood): mean average value of change −1.58; Long-term effect: (i) BPI (mean average value of pain): mean average value of change −0.33; (ii) BPI (maximum pain intensity): mean average value of change −0.74; (iii) BPI (pain interference): mean average value of change −0.33
Osaka et al., [19]	Observational study; (i) Intervention group: 𝑛=34	5-minute massage of the upper extremities	Immediate effect; (i) STAI-state-score: Perception of anxiety	Immediate effect; (i) STAI-state-score: 𝑃<0.001	Control group missing
Wilkie et al., [16]	Randomised controlled pilot study; Two groups: (i) intervention group: 𝑛=15,; (ii) control group: 𝑛=14.	Full-body massage twice a week over a period of two weeks. Duration: 45 minutes.	(i) PAT (Pain Assessment Tool, 0–10 Scale)	Immediate effect; (i) PAT: 𝑃<0.05 (after the first and third massages); 𝑃<0.09 (after the fourth massage); Long-term effect (at two weeks postintervention); (i) Perception of pain: transition from constant pain to intermittent episodes of pain in 14% of the patients; (ii) Intensity of pain: 𝑃>0.26; reduction of pain in 42% of the patients