Hot stone therapy in palliative care.

Abstract

179 Background: Massage therapy is a popular adjunct to cancer palliation. Hot Stone therapy, a massage method with hot lava stones, is an ancestral native Indian medicine practice. Since 2011, funds permit us to offer Hot Stone therapy as a new Complementary Medicine for inpatients in the oncology unit where Palliative Care is integrated early into oncologic care. We assessed the effect of Hot Stone therapy in patients with advanced cancer on symptom severity. Methods: The study took place at Hopital prive Oceane, a private setting in France, between May 1, 2014 and May 1 , 2015. After physician's check, one nurse who has training in stone therapy method provided massage. We assessed - overall patient's satisfaction - severity of nine common symptoms with Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) before and after the massage. We reported - number of each symptom (%) experienced by patient before the massage - number of massages (%) with change score for analyses. Results: Of 156 massages, 113 were assessed (82 patients). Satisfaction rate is 100%. Rate of symptoms before massages: pain, 51%; fatigue, 88%; nausea, 21%; depression, 63%; anxiety, 79%; drowsiness , 72%; lack of appetite, 62%;dyspnea, 36%; no wellbeing, 93%. Decrease of 2 points in change score: pain (71%), fatigue (22%), nausea (25%), depression (42%), anxiety (64%), drowsiness (10%), dyspnea (37%), wellbeing (84%). None increase except in drowsiness (41%) which can be explained by more relaxed patients. No difference in lack of appetite. Conclusions: In our experience, Hot Stone therapy is a type of massage that help patient feel better. A decrease in some very common symptom in palliative care was observed. Stone therapy is a safe method and can be use by training caregivers to alleviate a wide range of cancer symptoms or side effects of treatment with a non-pharmacological approach. Actually, we develop a Hot Stone therapy program's training to offer more massages in our institution.