Billhult, A., Bergbom, I., & Stener-Victorin, E. (2007). Massage relieves nausea in women with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 13(1), 53-57.

In this prospective trial, patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Patients in the intervention group received five massage sessions (effleurage), lasting about 20 minutes. Patients in the control group received visits by a hospital staff member (attention control).

• The study consisted of 39 patients with breast cancer who were enrolled prior to the start of their third cycles of chemotherapy.
• The intervention group had 19 patients and the control group had 20 patients.

This was a prospective trial with random assignment.

• Patients completed a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) for nausea and anxiety before and immediately after the massage intervention or after the staff visit for the control group.
• The Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) Scale was completed before the first and last massage sessions.

• No differences were found in anxiety as measured by the VAS between the groups.
• No differences were found between groups or within groups over time in anxiety or depression as measured by the HAD.
• The authors stated that nausea was significantly reduced in the massage group, as measured by the VAS; they did not report raw scores but, rather, “percentage improved.”

Interpretation of the findings as written was difficult. Although the authors concluded that massage reduced nausea, nausea was not assessed at expected problem points. For example, severe nausea was measured 30 minutes into the chemotherapy infusion after patients received antiemetic prophylaxis with 5-HT₃ and steroid.

• The hospital staff (nurses and nurses' aides) delivered the massage intervention after one day of training.
• No control was provided for consistency or adequacy of the intervention.
• Only nausea was assessed, not vomiting.
• Nausea was assessed by VAS immediately before and after the massage, but the massage was delivered during the chemotherapy infusion and nausea measured right after.
• The measurement period did not coincide with when nausea is expected to occur or be most severe. For example, nausea was measured prior to the start of massage, but nausea would not be expected to be present or severe at this time.