Completed

Massage for the Treatment of Pain in Cancer: A Randomized Phase II Study

0 criteria met from your profileSee at a glance how your profile meets each eligibility criteria.
What is being tested

massage therapy

+ questionaire about pain

+ visit with a volunteer

OtherBehavioral
Who is being recruted

From 18 to 120 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Supportive Care Study

Phase 2
Interventional
Study Start: May 2003
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Last updated: January 14, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: May 1, 2003

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine whether the effects of massage therapy in patients with cancer pain are sufficiently promising to warrant a definitive trial. * Determine the feasibility of a definitive trial. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, controlled, pilot study. Patients are stratified according to in-patient status (yes vs no) and first baseline pain score ≥ 7 (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms. * Arm I (massage therapy): Patients receive a light touch ("Reiki") massage over 45 minutes. * Arm II (volunteer visit control): Patients receive a 45-minute visit from a trained volunteer who will be available to sit quietly or talk with the patient to discuss issues of concern, as desired by the patient. Volunteers will not touch the patient except to pat their shoulder or briefly hold their hand. * Arm III (quiet time control): Patients receive 45 minutes of quiet time. Pain and mood are assessed at baseline, immediately after treatment, at 6 hours and 24 hours after treatment, and then daily for the next 5 days after treatment. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 60 patients will be accrued for this study.

Official TitleMassage for the Treatment of Pain in Cancer: A Randomized Phase II Study 
Principal SponsorMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Last updated: January 14, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

92 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Supportive Care Study

These studies explore ways to improve comfort and daily life for people living with a condition. They may focus on easing symptoms, reducing treatment side effects, or supporting overall well-being.



Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

From 18 to 120 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers not allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of cancer * Baseline pain score ≥ 2 on a 0-10 rating scale where 0 = no pain * Pain syndrome must be the result of cancer and/or cancer treatment * No postoperative or other acute procedural pain PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Not specified PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Concurrent pharmacologic pain therapy allowed

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

3 intervention groups are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups

Group I

Experimental
About 45 minute massage

Group II

Experimental
45 minute visit

Group III

Experimental
45 minutes of quiet time

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 1 location

Suspended

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

New York, United StatesSee the location
CompletedOne Study Center