The power of touch: external applications from whole medical systems in the care of cancer patients (literature review)

Mühlenpfordt, Inga; Stritter, Wiebke; Bertram, Mathias; Ben‐Arye, Eran; Seifert, Georg

doi:10.1007/s00520-019-05172-7

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, this study makes a strong case, along with other published findings, to demonstrate the safety of mistletoe injections in pediatric oncology [ 24 , 25 ]. Where other areas of integrative medicine have shown efficacious results [ 26 ], facilitating a study design that investigates efficacy of combined AMP has provided an important lesson for the design of future research. Logistical and financial trade-offs must be carefully weighed and caution is needed in expediating hopeful outcomes for pediatric oncology patients, even if potential benefits to the quality of life may exist.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up

et al. 2022

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Background Integrative medicine is used frequently alongside chemotherapy treatment in pediatric oncology, but little is known about the influence on toxicity. This German, multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of complementary treatments on toxicity related to intensive-phase chemotherapy treatment in children aged 1–18 with the primary outcome of the toxicity sum score. Secondary outcomes were chemotherapy-related toxicity, overall and event-free survival after 5 years in study patients. Methods Intervention and control were given standard chemotherapy according to malignancy & tumor type. The intervention arm was provided with anthroposophic supportive treatment (AST); given as anthroposophic base medication (AMP), as a base medication for all patients and additional on-demand treatment tailored to the intervention malignancy groups. The control was given no AMP. The toxicity sum score (TSS) was assessed using NCI-CTC scales. Results Data of 288 patients could be analyzed. Analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the AST and the control group for the primary endpoint or the toxicity measures (secondary endpoints). Furthermore, groups did not differ significantly in the five-year overall and event-free survival follow up. Discussion In this trial findings showed that AST was able to be safely administered in a clinical setting, although no beneficial effects of AST between group toxicity scores, overall or event-free survival were shown.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up

et al. 2022

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“…In past research, the added task of hands‐on delivery of reflexology to the patient did not hamper the patient‐caregiver relationship (Holmstrom et al, 2015). Further, physical touch involved with a body‐based therapy like reflexology may enhance social support (Mühlenpfordt et al, 2020) and strengthen the perceived reflexology experience. If caregiver delivery of reflexology is problematic given living arrangements or other factors, meditative practices may be a more feasible option without sacrifice in efficacy for symptom management.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflexology and meditative practices for symptom management among people with cancer: Results from a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial

Wyatt

Lehto

Guha-Niyogi

et al. 2021

Research in Nursing & Health

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Optimal sequencing of complementary therapies can help improve symptom management through nonpharmacological approaches. A 12‐week sequential multiple assignment randomized trial comparing home‐based reflexology and meditative practices on severity of fatigue and other symptoms was conducted among patients with cancer and their informal caregivers. Dyads were initially randomized to reflexology (N = 150), meditative practices (N = 150), or control (N = 47). If patient's fatigue did not improve (nonresponse) after 4 weeks of reflexology or meditative practices, the dyad was rerandomized to either add the other therapy or continue with the original therapy for weeks 5–8. Four decision rules (DRs) were compared: (1) Initiating reflexology, and if nonresponse on fatigue after 4 weeks, continue with reflexology for another 4 weeks, thus providing a higher dose; (2) Initiating reflexology, and if nonresponse on fatigue after 4 weeks, add meditative practices for the next 4 weeks; (3) Initiating meditative practices, and if nonresponse on fatigue after 4 weeks, continue meditative practices for another 4 weeks, thus providing a higher dose; and (4) Initiating meditative practices, and if nonresponse on fatigue after 4 weeks, add reflexology for the next 4 weeks. Symptoms were evaluated weekly using the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI). Clinically, nurses can recommend either therapy since no differences were found among the 4 DRs, with the exception of lower severity for summed MDASI symptoms at week 8 for the use of reflexology only (DR‐1) versus DR‐2 (sequencing reflexology to meditative practices). Adding the other therapy for nonresponders after 4 weeks may not be warranted.

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“… 19 , 20 In anthroposophic theories, yarrow and yarrow liver compresses are believed to have a tonic, energizing effect, 21 , 22 but clinical studies are lacking on this subject. 19 , 23 A previously published prospective pilot trial demonstrated that external application of yarrow liver compresses reduce cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in patients with metastatic cancer undergoing radiation therapy within a clinically relevant range. 19 Based on these findings, this second prospective pilot trial (preplanned secondary analysis) investigated the influence of external application of yarrow liver compresses on HRV in the same metastatic cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy and suffering from CRF.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Randomized Pilot Trial Using External Yarrow Liver Compress Applications With Metastatic Cancer Patients Suffering From Fatigue: Evaluation of Sympathetic Modulation by Heart Rate Variability Analysis

et al. 2022

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Background: Liver compresses are commonly applied in complementary medicine during cancer treatment and are believed to have an energizing effect. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the influence of external application of yarrow liver compresses on the autonomous nervous system by analyzing the heart rate variability (HRV) in metastatic cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy and suffering from cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Methods: A randomized pilot trial was undertaken with patients suffering from CRF receiving palliative radiation therapy for bone or brain metastasis over 2 weeks. CRF patients were randomized into an intervention group receiving yarrow liver compresses and a control group receiving no external application. HRV was analyzed at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) period of the study during daytime (d) and nighttime (n) in both groups and quantified using time-, frequency-, and nonlinear dynamics domains. Results: A total of 39 patients were randomized between September 2017 and August 2019 and a total of 20 patients (10 per group) were available for analysis. For both groups, significant differences in HRV analyses were found in the comparison over the timeline between the first and second measurement (T1d→T2d) during daytime. Specifically, the intervention group showed decreased HRV and complexity of heart rate regulation, indicating increased sympathetic activity at time T2d, whereas the control group showed increased HRV and complexity of heart rate regulation, indicating increased vagal activity at time T2d. Furthermore, the observed HRV analyses showed almost no significant differences between the 2 groups in a direct comparison at the beginning and the end of the study (exception: T2d). Conclusions: Yarrow liver compresses led to increased sympathetic activity during daytime in the intervention group, whereas in the control group, which did not receive any external application, increased parasympathetic activity was observed.

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The power of touch: external applications from whole medical systems in the care of cancer patients (literature review)

Cited by 14 publications

References 38 publications

Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up

Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up

Reflexology and meditative practices for symptom management among people with cancer: Results from a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial

Randomized Pilot Trial Using External Yarrow Liver Compress Applications With Metastatic Cancer Patients Suffering From Fatigue: Evaluation of Sympathetic Modulation by Heart Rate Variability Analysis

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