Abstract
Objectives
To examine the short-term effects of light pressure effleurage on circulating lymphocytes
by studying the number and activity of peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells
in patients with breast cancer compared to a control group. Furthermore, the effect
of light pressure effleurage on salivary cortisol levels, heart rate and blood pressure
was studied.
Design
Single centre, prospective, randomized and controlled study.
Methods
Thirty women, aged 50 to 75 years (mean 61 sd=7.2) with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy in a hospital in southwestern
Sweden were enrolled in the study. They were allocated to either receive massage in
the form of a full-body light pressure effleurage treatment, or a control visit where
they were given an equal amount of attention. Blood samples, saliva, notation of heart
rate and blood pressure were collected before and after massage/control visit. Differences
in change over time between groups were analyzed by Student's t-test.
Results
Light pressure effleurage massage decreased the deterioration of NK cell activity
occurring during radiation therapy. Furthermore it lowered heart rate and systolic
blood pressure. No effects were demonstrated on cortisol and diastolic pressure.
Conclusions
A single full-body light pressure effleurage massage has a short-term effect on NK
cell activity, systolic blood pressure and heart rate in patients with breast cancer.
However, the long-term clinical importance of these findings needs to be further investigated.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 24,
2009
Received in revised form:
March 19,
2009
Received:
July 7,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
