Massage Therapy for Pediatric Cancer

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Lauren Vernau

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Disqualifiers: Cognitive impairment, Language barrier, Previous enrollment

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 3 weeks

70 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study aims to determine the impact of massage therapy for pediatric patients receiving intensive chemotherapy or stem cell transplant (SCT).

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

Is massage therapy safe for children, including those with cancer?

A systematic review found no studies that systematically assessed the safety of massage therapy in children, but it is frequently used and generally considered safe. More research is needed to fully understand any potential adverse events (unwanted effects) in pediatric massage therapy. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does massage therapy differ from other treatments for pediatric cancer?

Massage therapy is unique because it is a non-drug treatment that can help reduce pain, stress, and anxiety in children with cancer, improving their quality of life without the side effects associated with medications. ^{4 5 6 7 8}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Massage Therapy for Pediatric Cancer?

Research suggests that massage therapy can help reduce pain and anxiety in children with cancer, improving their quality of life. It has shown positive effects in children with other conditions like asthma and arthritis, indicating its potential benefits for pediatric cancer patients. ^{4 5 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Tracey Jubelirer, MD

Principal Investigator

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for children with certain types of cancer (like ALL or AML) who are undergoing intensive chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant. Specific eligibility details aren't provided, but typically participants must meet health and treatment criteria.

Inclusion Criteria

I will be hospitalized for at least 21 days.

I have been diagnosed with AML, rALL, or am getting a stem cell transplant.

I am between 12 and 21 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

I am not fluent in English or Spanish to complete study forms.

Previous enrollment

I have difficulty thinking or remembering that makes it hard for me to fill out forms.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either standard of care or massage therapy while undergoing intensive chemotherapy or stem cell transplant

3 weeks

In-hospital treatment

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for improvement in sleep quality and total sleep minutes

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Massage Therapy

Trial Overview The study is testing whether massage therapy can improve sleep quality in pediatric oncology patients compared to the standard care they receive during intensive chemotherapy or SCT.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Arm (IA) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Massage therapy

Group II: Control Arm (CA) Active Control 1 Intervention

Standard of care.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

749

Recruited

11,400,000+

Children's National Research Institute

Collaborator

Trials

227

Recruited

258,000+

Massage Therapy Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

8

Recruited

380+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A systematic review of 7 clinical trials involving children with cancer found that therapeutic massage can significantly reduce symptoms such as pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety, while also increasing white blood cells and neutrophils.

Different massage techniques, including Swedish massage and effleurage, were used in the studies, indicating that massage may be a beneficial complementary therapy for managing symptoms in pediatric cancer patients, although further research is needed to confirm these effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the application of therapeutic massage in children with cancer: a systematic review. Rodríguez-Mansilla, J., González-Sánchez, B., Torres-Piles, S., et al.[2022]

Massage therapy (MT) significantly improved psychological well-being in pediatric oncology and hematology patients, reducing state and trait anxiety and enhancing emotional state, based on a study of 30 children aged 6 months to 17 years.

MT also led to notable physical benefits, including reduced muscle soreness, discomfort, and improved respiratory rate, indicating that it can enhance the overall quality of life for children with cancer and blood diseases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Children with cancer and blood diseases experience positive physical and psychological effects from massage therapy. Haun, JN., Graham-Pole, J., Shortley, B.[2022]

A study involving 243 pediatric patients with hematologic and oncologic conditions showed that massage therapy significantly reduced pain, stress, and anxiety, with all patients reporting clinically meaningful improvements after treatment.

Patients with sickle cell disease experienced higher levels of pain, stress, and anxiety before treatment compared to those with other hematologic or oncologic conditions, but all groups benefited from massage therapy, particularly the HemOnc group which reported greater reductions in pain.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Massage therapy for children, adolescents, and young adults: Clinical delivery and effectiveness in hematology and oncology. Rodgers-Melnick, SN., Bartolovich, M., Desai, NJ., et al.[2023]

A systematic review of 60 studies on massage therapy in children found that while many studies did not report adverse events (AEs), 26.6% reported at least one AE, ranging from mild to severe.

Notably, there was a concerning association between abdominal massage and severe AEs, including volvulus in premature infants, which raises safety concerns and suggests caution in using abdominal massage for this vulnerable population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events associated with paediatric massage therapy: a systematic review. Karkhaneh, M., Zorzela, L., Jou, H., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the application of therapeutic massage in children with cancer: a systematic review. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Massage therapy as a supportive care intervention for children with cancer. [2014]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Children with cancer and blood diseases experience positive physical and psychological effects from massage therapy. [2022]

4. Scotland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Massage therapy for symptom reduction and improved quality of life in children with cancer in palliative care: A pilot study. [2020]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Massage therapy for children, adolescents, and young adults: Clinical delivery and effectiveness in hematology and oncology. [2023]

6. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of massage therapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatric cancer. [2022]

7. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pediatric Massage Therapy Research: A Narrative Review. [2020]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events associated with paediatric massage therapy: a systematic review. [2022]