In 2013, a study conducted by Batalha, et. al., explored the potential benefits of massage therapy in alleviating pain among children hospitalized with cancer. While massage is often touted as a method for pain relief, empirical evidence supporting its efficacy remains sparse and sometimes contradictory. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured massage protocol in managing pain for young cancer patients.

The study was conducted as a randomized, controlled, and single-blind trial, involving 52 children aged 10 to 18 years. These participants were all patients in a pediatric cancer ward. The intervention comprised a massage protocol that included three sessions, each lasting between 20 to 30 minutes, conducted on alternate days over a one-week period.

Pain assessment was carried out using two tools: the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) for evaluating overall pain and its impact on daily activities, and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for measuring pain intensity immediately after each massage session.

The findings revealed that the massage protocol had a significant effect on reducing pain interference with walking (p<0.05). Additionally, the therapy contributed to alleviating pain and its impact on various activities. Notably, after each massage session, there was a marked decrease in the intensity of pain experienced by the children (p<0.001).

Despite the study’s relatively small sample size, the results suggest that massage therapy can be a valuable tool in managing pain for children with cancer. The authors recommend the adoption of this massage protocol, highlighting its potential to enhance the well-being and quality of life for these young patients.

While further research is needed to solidify these findings and address remaining questions about the protocol’s overall effectiveness, this study offers promising evidence that massage therapy can play a beneficial role in pediatric cancer care.

Reference: Batalha, L. M. D. C., & Mota, A. A. (2013). Massage in children with cancer: effectiveness of a protocol. Jornal de Pediatria, 89, 595-600.