Navid Mokhtari - Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Aromatherapy massage is a commonly used complementary therapy, and is employed in cancer and palliative care largely to improve quality of life and reduce psychological distress. Some cancer patients use therapeutic massage to reduce symptoms, improve coping, and enhance quality of life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of massage with or without aromatherapy on pain and other symptoms associated with cancer. We searched the following databases and trials registries up to May 2016. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL, EMBASE (Ovid), PsycINFO, SIGLE, CancerLit and PubMed Cancer Subset, SADCCT, and the World Health Organization (WHO) ICTRP. Massage has long been used to reduce tension, anxiety, and pain in various populations including cancer patients. Surveys indicate that over 20% of cancer patients use massage therapy. Through the application of pressure and motion to the muscle and connective tissues of the body, massage therapy elicits both physiological and psychological responses. The current article provides a summary and critique of published studies in which patient-reported symptom ratings were assessed in relation to massage therapeutic, massage as a cancer pain intervention appears to be safe and effective. Patients who receive massage have less procedural pain, nausea, and anxiety and report improved quality of life. The use of massage in cancer care centers and hospitals is on the rise. Massage has a positive effect on biochemistry, increasing levels of dopamine, lymphocytes, and natural killer cells. Massage and aromatherapy massage confer short term benefits on psychological wellbeing, with the effect on anxiety supported by limited evidence. Effects on physical symptoms may also occur. Evidence is mixed as to whether aromatherapy enhances the effects of massage. Replication, longer follow up, and larger trials are needed to accrue the necessary evidence.

Aromatherapy massage, Psychological, Quality of life, Cancer