Cadet Tamara, Davis Cindy, Wilson Patricia, Elks Jacinta
Dept. of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Dept. of Social Work, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.
Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2022 Mar 2;15(1):66-71. doi: 10.3822/ijtmb.v15i1.687. eCollection 2022 Mar.
Cancer patients are increasingly combining touch therapies (e.g., remedial massage, lymphatic massage, and/or reflexology) with conventional treatments to deal with the impact of their cancer and treatments on their physical and mental well-being. To understand the impact of integrative oncology services on cancer patients, it is essential to explore the impact that various types of integrative oncology services have on cancer patients.
This paper presents cancer patients' experiences with touch therapies in a community-based cancer support center and to identify opportunities for better access to these practices and service provision in Australia.
A random selection of cancer patients (n=36) receiving touch therapies at a rural/regional community cancer center completed mixed-methods mail surveys regarding the use of touch therapies, their satisfaction, and the impact on pain, fatigue, nausea and overall well-being.
Findings indicated that these services helped manage both physical and emotional symptoms. Of the participants experiencing pain and fatigue, findings revealed that touch therapies assisted with pain in 90% of participants and with fatigue in 70%.
Given the increased and continued use of touch therapies by individuals with cancer, cancer centers should consider establishing touch therapy services or provide referrals to touch therapy services that can assist with symptom management and improve quality care. By more clearly understanding the benefits of the different types of integrative oncology interventions, patients with cancer receive more tailored and effective interventions throughout of their cancer journey.
癌症患者越来越多地将触摸疗法（如康复按摩、淋巴按摩和/或反射疗法）与传统治疗相结合，以应对癌症及其治疗对他们身心健康的影响。为了解综合肿瘤学服务对癌症患者的影响，探究各类综合肿瘤学服务对癌症患者的影响至关重要。
本文介绍癌症患者在社区癌症支持中心接受触摸疗法的经历，并确定在澳大利亚更好地获得这些疗法及服务提供的机会。
随机选取在农村/地区社区癌症中心接受触摸疗法的36名癌症患者，完成关于触摸疗法使用情况、满意度以及对疼痛、疲劳、恶心和整体幸福感影响的混合方法邮件调查。
研究结果表明，这些服务有助于管理身体和情绪症状。在经历疼痛和疲劳的参与者中，结果显示触摸疗法对90%的参与者的疼痛有帮助，对70%的参与者的疲劳有帮助。
鉴于癌症患者对触摸疗法的使用增加且持续，癌症中心应考虑设立触摸疗法服务或提供转介至可协助症状管理并改善优质护理的触摸疗法服务。通过更清楚地了解不同类型综合肿瘤学干预措施的益处，癌症患者在其整个癌症治疗过程中能获得更具针对性和有效的干预措施。
