For years, the conventional wisdom was that massage was contraindicated for people with cancer. The fear was that it would promote the spread of the cancer. In recent years however, this myth has been replaced by an understanding of how beneficial massage can be for the cancer patient.

Medical massage differs from traditional massage in that the trained massage therapist relies on the patient's most up to date medical information to determine the most effective treatment plan.

Medical massage offers cancer patients and their families an all-natural way to help cope with and manage the symptoms of the disease and the side effects of the traditional treatments. Generally, these symptoms include pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and decreased immune function. Many scientific studies show that medical massage can help relieve or lessen many of these symptoms.

At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, massage is the most frequently requested complimentary therapy offered by the Integrative Medicine Service.

When considering any type of therapy to complement conventional cancer care, the first step should always be to consult with your Oncologist or Primary Care Physician.