Effects of Swedish Massage on the Improvement of Mood Disorders in Women with Breast Cancer undergoing Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. The detection and treatment of this cancer may create mental pressure and lower mood levels, causing anxiety, depression, stress, and pain for the patients. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Swedish massage on mood disorders in breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at the cancer institute of the Imam Khomeini hospital at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study consisted of a clinical trial including 100 patients with breast cancer. The participants were chosen randomly, with their consent, by the use of polling, to be included in the intervention group (which received a Swedish massage three times a week, for 30 minutes, over five weeks) and control group (which received routine care). At the beginning of the intervention and after 5 weeks, the mood disorders of the patients, including anger, anxiety, depression, and any positive affect, were assessed using the affective control scale (ACS) questionnaire. RESULTS Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the average of the overall scale between the intervention and control groups in the subscales of anger, anxiety, depression, and positive affect (P = 0.469). The average of the overall scale in the Swedish massage group decreased from 3.52 ± 0.65 to 2.42 ± 0.76 when compared to the pre-intervention conditions, and to (P < 0.001) after the intervention. Moreover, the values for the control group were 3.41 ± 0.94 for the pre-intervention and 3.38 ± 0.9 after the intervention (P = 0.620). CONCLUSIONS When compared to the control group, the Swedish massage showed an improvement in the mood disorders of women with breast cancer.