The Effect of Touch Therapy on Symptoms and Psychosocial Variables in Individuals Diagnosed With Cancer

Muz G., Bilgin A., Yuce G. E., DÖNER A.

CANCER NURSING, vol.48, no.2, pp.99-111, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 48 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000001238
  • Journal Name: CANCER NURSING
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psycinfo, DIALNET
  • Page Numbers: pp.99-111
  • Keywords: Cancer, Psychological, Symptom, Systematic review and meta-analysis, Touch therapy
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

BackgroundTouch therapy is used in the control of physical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients. However, its effectiveness has not been well studied.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of touch therapy intervention on symptoms and psychosocial factors for patients with cancer.MethodFour electronic databases were used to identify all experimental studies that examine the effects of touch therapy on symptoms and psychosocial factors for patients with cancer. The standardized mean differences between groups in levels of symptoms and psychosocial factors for postintervention were computed for each study.ResultThe pooled results suggest that touch therapy intervention effectively reduces pain, fatigue, anxiety, and negative mood among patients with cancer postintervention. However, touch therapy intervention did not affect the quality of life and stress.ConclusionA significant effect of touch therapy was the reduction of physical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients.Implications for PracticeTouch therapy could be safely integrated into the clinical practice of patients with cancer.