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Systematic Review

Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by
Arda Uzunoglu
1,
Paula Matta-Diaz
2,
Valeria Bustos-Gajardo
2,
Javiera Obreque-González
2,
Gloria Cifuentes-Suazo
3,
Guinevere Granite
4,
Mathias Orellana Donoso
2,5,
Pablo Nova Baeza
2,
Gustavo Oyanedel-Amaro
6,
Alvaro Becerra Farfan
7,
Juan Sanchis-Gimeno
8,
Juan José Valenzuela-Fuenzalida
2,9,
Jessica Paola Loaiza Giraldo
10 and
Jose E. León-Rojas
11,*
1
Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education, Kocaeli 06420, Turkey
2
Departamento de Morfología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
3
Facultad de Medicina, Carrera de Odontología, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción 4090541, Chile
4
Department of Surgery, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
5
Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago 7501015, Chile
6
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 7500912, Chile
7
Departamento de Ciencias Química y Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago 8370993, Chile
8
GIAVAL Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46001 Valencia, Spain
9
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago 8370040, Chile
10
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Central del Valle del Cauca (UCEVA), Tuluá 763022, Colombia
11
Cerebro, Emoción y Conducta (CEC) Research Group, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de las Americas (UDLA), Quito 170124, Ecuador
 
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*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2025, 13(24), 3268; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243268
Submission received: 15 July 2025 / Revised: 3 December 2025 / Accepted: 7 December 2025 / Published: 12 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Collection Integrative, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Healthcare)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Cancer and its treatments frequently lead to physical and psychological symptoms that negatively affect quality of life. Massage therapy has been proposed as a complementary intervention to reduce symptom burden through its effects on stress regulation and autonomic balance. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of massage therapy in patients with cancer. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. Search terms included “massage therapy,” “reflexology,” “massage,” and “cancer.” Randomized controlled trials comparing massage therapy with placebo or standard care and reporting quantitative outcomes were eligible. Seven studies met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Results: Compared with control conditions, massage therapy was associated with significant improvements in several outcomes: Behavioral Symptoms Frequency (BSF) (MD = −12.54; 95% CI: −18.70 to −6.38; p < 0.0001), Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ) scores (SMD = 10.10; 95% CI: 1.21 to 19.00; p = 0.03), Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores (MD = −3.97; 95% CI: −4.63 to −3.31; p = 0.0001), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) symptom intensity (MD = −1.09; 95% CI: −2.11 to −0.07; p = 0.04). Overall certainty of evidence was limited by methodological heterogeneity and risk of bias. Conclusions: Massage therapy may provide short-term improvements in selected physical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients and may serve as a supportive complementary intervention. However, the evidence remains limited, and well-designed trials with standardized protocols are needed to strengthen the reliability of these findings.
Keywords: massage therapy; reflexology; cancer; complementary medicine; supportive care; symptom management; relaxation therapy massage therapy; reflexology; cancer; complementary medicine; supportive care; symptom management; relaxation therapy

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Uzunoglu, A.; Matta-Diaz, P.; Bustos-Gajardo, V.; Obreque-González, J.; Cifuentes-Suazo, G.; Granite, G.; Orellana Donoso, M.; Nova Baeza, P.; Oyanedel-Amaro, G.; Becerra Farfan, A.; et al. Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare 2025, 13, 3268. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243268

AMA Style

Uzunoglu A, Matta-Diaz P, Bustos-Gajardo V, Obreque-González J, Cifuentes-Suazo G, Granite G, Orellana Donoso M, Nova Baeza P, Oyanedel-Amaro G, Becerra Farfan A, et al. Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare. 2025; 13(24):3268. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243268

Chicago/Turabian Style

Uzunoglu, Arda, Paula Matta-Diaz, Valeria Bustos-Gajardo, Javiera Obreque-González, Gloria Cifuentes-Suazo, Guinevere Granite, Mathias Orellana Donoso, Pablo Nova Baeza, Gustavo Oyanedel-Amaro, Alvaro Becerra Farfan, and et al. 2025. "Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" Healthcare 13, no. 24: 3268. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243268

APA Style

Uzunoglu, A., Matta-Diaz, P., Bustos-Gajardo, V., Obreque-González, J., Cifuentes-Suazo, G., Granite, G., Orellana Donoso, M., Nova Baeza, P., Oyanedel-Amaro, G., Becerra Farfan, A., Sanchis-Gimeno, J., Valenzuela-Fuenzalida, J. J., Loaiza Giraldo, J. P., & León-Rojas, J. E. (2025). Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Symptom Management in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare, 13(24), 3268. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243268

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