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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology

Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology

Published on: May 22, 2026

Complementary therapies for cancer pain.

Barrie Cassileth¹, Carrie Trevisan, Jyothirmai Gubili

¹Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. gubilij@mskcc.org

Current Pain and Headache Reports

|August 10, 2007

Summary

Complementary therapies offer a safe, noninvasive approach to pain management. These methods can reduce reliance on prescription drugs and improve patient quality of life.

Area of Science:

Integrative Medicine
Pain Management
Complementary Therapies

Background:

Pharmacologic pain treatment often falls short of patient needs.
Standard pain medications can cause significant adverse side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the role of complementary therapies in pain management.
To explore adjunctive use of non-pharmacologic methods to improve patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

Review of complementary approaches including acupuncture, massage, mind-body interventions, and music therapy.
Assessment of safety, noninvasiveness, and toxicity profiles.
Evaluation of impact on pain reduction and quality of life.

Main Results:

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Complementary therapies are generally safe and noninvasive with low toxicity.
These approaches effectively reduce pain and enhance patient quality of life.
Patients actively participate in their care through complementary methods.

Conclusions:

Complementary therapies serve as valuable adjuncts to conventional pain management.
These methods can reduce the need for prescription pain medication.
Integrating complementary therapies improves overall pain management strategies.