A recent study published in the medical journal Cancer found that Swedish massage therapy, delivered over the course of six weeks to breast cancer patients, provided a significant reduction in their cancer-related fatigue (CRF). CRF is a persistent, exhausting condition affecting approximately one-third of cancer survivors.

The study, conducted by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, enrolled 66 female stage 0–III post-treatment breast cancer survivors who had received surgery and radiation and/or chemotherapy/chemoprevention. The participants, who were unfamiliar with massage therapy, were given a weekly 45-minute Swedish massage by licensed massage therapists over the course of six weeks.

The recipients reported that they experienced “clinically meaningful” improvement in their CRF as a result of the massage therapy. While still in early-trial phase, this research has significant implications for cancer patients going forward.

For more information, read the full abstract at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29044466.