Oncology Massage

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An oncology massage is an individual massage session designed to meet you where you are in the moment. Taking into consideration whether you are in active treatment or have a history of cancer, what type of cancer you have or have had, what treatments you are having or have had in the past. What you are experiencing and how we can work together to create and collaborate a safe and effective session to meet your needs, goals and expectations.

If you are in cancer treatment this may not be the best time to have a 90 minute deep tissue, hot stone, cupping session with fresh mango butter. I will guarantee you that safe and effective does not mean you have to be part of the human petting zoo. Your massage will be safe and effective, comforting and artistic it will not be completely clinical or boring.

Oncology Massage is not a technique, it is an evidence informed process to make adjustments in classical massage therapy strokes and modalities to be safe and effective. It includes a whole range of humans in the oncology spectrum; the Active Survivor that is competing during and/or after treatment, humans in chemotherapy, radiation and post-op, survivors (and the numbers are increasing every day), members of the “I’m Still Here!” club of metastatic survivors and hospice.

Benefits of Oncology Massage for Surgical Interventions; Not everyone can have a massage in the hospital after surgery. It is best to ask your Oncologist and/or Nurse Navigator if you can receive massage post-op as an inpatient and outside of your hospital or treatment center. Here is a list of some desired outcomes.

  • reduced anxiety in advance of surgery
  • reduced swelling
  • reduced post-surgical pain
  • improved range of motion
  • easier adaptation to implants and expanders
  • improved mobility and appearance of surgical scars
  • early detection and care for lymphedema and axillary cording

Oncology Massage Can Improve Some Chemotherapy Side Effects; Not all chemotherapy centers provide massage during chemotherapy. It is best to ask your Oncologist and/or Nurse Navigator if you can receive massage during the weeks you are receiving chemotherapy. We may need to collaborate on timing in between chemotherapy treatments and also how long the massage session is because we do not want to cause more fatigue. Here are some of the most common goals we can work on during your chemotherapy regimen.

  • Reduce pain
  • Reduce fatigue
  • Decreased anxiety
  • Less nausea
  • Improved sleep
  • Reduce neuropathy symptoms
  • Eased isolation
  • Enhanced body image
  • Greater sense of well-being

Oncology Massage to Support Radiation Treatments; Fewer hospitals and cancer centers provide massage during radiation treatment schedules. Once again, it is best to ask your Oncologist and/or Nurse Navigator if you can receive massage during the weeks you are receiving radiation. I will not massage the radiated area until well after radiation is over and safe to do so. We will need to collaborate on timing. It may be best for you to have a session prior to or after a radiation treatment depending on what your goals and needs are. We will also have to discuss and decide how long the massage session is to not cause more fatigue. Here are some of the most common goals we can work on during your radiation schedule.

  • Reduce pain
  • Reduce fatigue
  • Decreased anxiety
  • Support flexibility and range of motion
  • Improved sleep
  • Greater sense of well-being

I thought of this quote last week when someone was describing their fatigue. I do my best to understand the challenge to put it into words. “Why, I feel all thin,” Bilbo said. “Sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.”

Haven’t got time for the pain? During and after cancer treatment there are different reasons you may have pain and discomfort. Sometimes it is more than one. If you are in pain or discomfort I will want to hear about it and do my best to take the edge off and provide some relief for you. Sometimes it is more than one of these too.

  • Oncologic pain
  • post-op pain
  • pain from pharmacological side effects
  • pain due to radiation procedures
  • pain from being less active
  • pain from another injury or condition

For the longest time people have been concerned that massage was not safe for cancer patients. When I first began massage training in the 80’s we were being told by the “experts” that cancer was a contraindication to massage. Period. Cancer = no massage for you. Now it has finally been better understood, has some research and about 200 hospitals and cancer centers in the US have massage available for cancer patients. Unfortunately the pendulum may have swung a little too far. Licensed Massage Therapists will perform, provide or offer Oncology Massage with very little or no training at all. Some massage schools merely have a guest speaker who is a specialist give a talk, a massage business may require any massage therapists that works for them to have a whole two hour webinar before they work with cancer patients. Some therapists have reported they were told they just needed to go light. Now we all know that isn’t enough.

What is enough? Not every oncology therapist has achieved all of these. I have and I continue to read voraciously, go to classes, conferences and do my best to get the latest information.

  • Graduate of a Massage Therapy Program of at least 500 hours.
  • Licensed as a Massage Therapist (only 4 states are not regulated)
  • A minimum of 24 hours of training in a live class that is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork and The Society for Oncology Massage. www.s4om.org
  • Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, this has additional requirements, competencies and a very challenging exam. https://www.ncbtmb.org/
  • Specialty Certificate in Oncology Massage which requires 100 hours of approved specialized training and the successful passing of another exam. https://exam.ncbtmb.org/oncology-massage
  • Professional membership in a massage therapy association which requires education, supports research and provides liability insurance.

Some other things you may want to know;

  • I keep up my vaccinations and flu shots. It is the responsible thing to do. I have chosen to work with people that may be medically involved and/or in cancer treatment and understand they may be immune compromised.
  • My private office in Malvern is ADA.
  • There is handicap parking available.
  • My office is on the second floor, there is an elevator.

Perhaps one of the greatest affects of any cancer treatment is the feeling of separation between your body and your person. Feelings of “why did this happen to me” and other frustrations can create anxiety and emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Massage and bodywork is an excellent way to address these issues from a mind/body perspective. Please note; massage therapists are not equivalent to professional counselors or psychologists, chaplains, nurse navigators or physicians. We are not licensed to do talk therapy or coaching. While support, active listening and compassion may be crucial from a massage therapist, it does not replace other licensed professionals. I am honored to be part of a treatment team working together for your benefit.

Affiliations and Volunteer Disclosures;

  • Preferred Practitioner, Recognized Educational Provider and Regional Champion PA/NJ/DE for the Society for Oncology Massage
  • Preferred Provider with Unite for Her
  • Young Survivors Coalition and Tour de Pink
  • Former Board Member of Y-Me Breast Cancer Network of Strength, Tulsa, Oklahoma Affiliate

There is some confusion about the practicality of massage during cancer treatment. Some physicians and medical professionals have voiced concerns about massage and bodywork actually spreading cancer. Rest assured massage will not spread cancer. There has been quite a bit of research on this topic, and there is a link to an article concerning this below.  Another concern that the medical field has about massage during active cancers is that the medical profession does not know the specifics of (or the effects of) individual massage treatments. For that reason, if there are questions about what treatments, modalities or types of massage I offer or may incorporate with humans with active cancer, please contact me or ask your oncologist or social worker or nurse navigator to contact me with their questions. Feel free to share the links below as well.

Here are some good links on the topic of massage and cancer: