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When you or someone you love has cancer, you want answers to all your
questions – big or small. The Cleveland Clinic’s "Cancer Answer
Line" is a toll-free hotline staffed by registered nurses Monday through
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. These nurses will help you find your
answers. Here are two questions recently posed to the Cancer Answer Line staff.
Is massage safe for breast cancer patients?
Q: For her birthday, I want to give my wife a gift certificate to a
massage therapist. My wife has breast cancer and a friend of mine said they
heard persons with cancer should not get massages. Is this true?
From Josette Snyder R.N., M.S.N.
A: There are concerns as well as myths surrounding the use of massage
therapy for cancer patients. While there are some instances when massage is not
advised, sometimes all that is necessary is a technique adjustment. For example,
a common myth is that women with breast cancer who have undergone breast surgery
with lymph node dissection cannot receive massage therapy. On the contrary,
these women can safely receive massage therapy, so long as the technique is
adjusted. Look for a licensed massage therapist with specific training in the
massage of breast cancer patients.
Additionally, during chemotherapy, patients often are at increased risk of
infection, anemia or bruising. Again, special precautions need to be taken with
massage at this time.
As mentioned, massage is not advised in certain situations. Massage should
not be given if signs of infection are present at the surgical site. Immediately
after surgery, when a patient is at risk of developing blood clots, the legs
should not be massaged. Radiation therapy patients should not have their
treatment site massaged, because it may further irritate their skin.
For most cancer patients, however, massage therapy offers many benefits.
Massage therapy has been used to treat stress and anxiety, improve mood, induce
relaxation and control pain. Following surgery, appropriate massage can promote
healing at incision sites and may prevent or reduce scarring. Foot massage has
been shown to have a positive effect on patients’ perceptions of pain, nausea
and relaxation.
Ask your wife’s treating physician (oncologist, radiation oncologist or
surgeon) about using massage therapy, so that any risks can be discussed.
Information about her particular condition can then be provided to a licensed
massage therapist, so he or she can give your wife a safe and effective massage.
The bottom line is massage therapy can be highly beneficial to a person
undergoing cancer treatment. Just be sure to discuss particulars with your
health care provider first. For more information, visit www.chemocare.com and
click on "complementary therapy."
Coping with a cancer recurrence
Q: My brother’s cancer was in remission for four years, and it has
recently recurred. What can I do to help him cope with cancer treatment a second
time?
From Rene Barrat-Gordon, L.I.S.W.
A: Every person whose cancer is in remission must live with the
possibility that his or her cancer might return. When this happens, most people
experience the same feelings they had as newly diagnosed patients. Emotional
shock returns, along with fear and dread of the disease and its treatments. In
addition, many people are angry or discouraged that they have to face cancer a
second time, particularly because they have been through so much already. These
are normal feelings that develop immediately after the disease recurs. However,
if these feelings continue without improvement or seem to prevent a person from
participating in family activities that he or she enjoys, professional
counseling is recommended.
Your willingness to help your brother through his treatment will benefit him
a great deal. Let him know that you will be there for him, supporting him in any
way that you can. You can help by listening to him and encouraging him to
express his feelings about his cancer and treatment. Allow him to voice his
successes in battling the disease. His strengths, which allowed him to endure in
the past, will be needed for his new fight. Because of his previous experience,
he is better prepared for this battle than he was when initially diagnosed. His
awareness of his own strengths, his family support system and the professional
help available to him will give him opportunities to improve his emotional
health. Encourage him to become an active participant in his treatment and to
acquire as much information as he desires about his illness and treatments. Be
available for discussions about his treatment options, but allow him to reach
his own decisions when necessary. This will give him a better sense of control
of his life.
Please remember that because you care about your brother, you also will be
dealing with your own concerns about his situation. You, too, will need a good
listener who can support you by allowing you to express your feelings during his
treatments. A close friend or a support group designed for caregivers may help.
Ask your brother’s social worker about resources.
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