Serenity and Fire with Krista

Can Massage Really Make Cancer Worse? Krista Debunks the Myth

• Krista Guagenti

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There’s a myth out there that massage can make cancer worse — and it breaks my heart how many people still believe it. In this episode of Serenity & Fire, I want to set the record straight and share what I’ve learned as a spa owner who specializes in oncology spa services.

When it comes to massage and cancer, the truth is that safe, restorative touch is not only possible — it can be life-changing when done by properly trained therapists. I’ll walk you through what makes oncology spa services different from everyday treatments, why specialized training matters, and the kinds of modifications therapists make for clients in treatment or recovery.

✨ What oncology massage and aesthetics actually are — and why they matter
 ✨ The truth behind the myth that massage spreads cancer
 ✨ How oncology-trained therapists adapt treatments for safety and comfort
 ✨ Real stories from clients and therapists at Panacea that show the healing power of touch

If you or someone you love has ever wondered, “Is massage safe for cancer patients?” — this episode will give you clarity, hope, and reassurance.

At Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique, we’re proud to offer oncology-trained massage and spa services that provide comfort, safety, and healing. And because you’re part of the Serenity & Fire community, you can save 10% on LED Red Light Therapy or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy with the code Serenity10 at checkout.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Serenity and Fire, the podcast where wellness meets grit. I'm your host, krista Guagenti, founder of Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique. Join me as we dive into the intriguing world of biohacking, clean living, cutting-edge spa trends and the hustle, grind and grit of entrepreneurship. From my personal battles with weight management, infertility and a 30-year journey to create and launch my dream business to building a sanctuary for those who have been touched by cancer, I'm here to share real talk, inspire big dreams and spark a passion for holistic living inside each and every one of you. So let's dive in. Welcome back to Serenity and Fire.

Speaker 1:

Today, we're diving into what we mean when we say oncology spa services versus everyday spa treatments, why therapists need specialized training for cancer patients, what that training involves and real stories of how our oncology spa services at Panacea have changed lives. I want to start this conversation by pointing out why having oncology trained therapists matters when it comes to spa services. First, the statistics show that one in every two people will be affected by cancer at some point in their lives. So if you haven't already been touched by cancer in some way, shape or form whether it's your own story or someone that you're close to it will, unfortunately, most likely impact you at some point in your life. The good news is that more and more people are surviving and living with cancer today than ever before, thanks to better treatments and the ability to diagnose cancers much earlier. And that makes what we do even more important, because that means that more and more people will be coming into our spas and treatment centers who have already been diagnosed with cancer. So we need to know how to take care of the clients with love, compassion, confidence and proper training.

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Second, cancer and its treatments reshape the body and can create unique vulnerabilities in ways that really matter when it comes to spa services, For example, low blood counts can increase bruising. Weakened immune systems can lead to increased infection risks. Ports or IV sites need to be avoided. Neuropathy, nausea and fatigue all require adaptations for the comfort of the client. Radiation can leave radiated skin dry, tight and easily irritated, or even, with radiation, dermatitis, and certain chemotherapies can make nails brittle, discolored or prone to infection, and things like emotional trauma really require compassion and sensitivity. That's why business-as-usual spa protocols don't apply when working with a client who has had a cancer diagnosis. Pressure products, temperature, timing, stroke direction are all things that need to be considered, and in many instances, these things do need to be modified and adapted for each client depending on their particular situation.

Speaker 1:

So before we go any further, I'd like to address a fairly common myth that massage can actually make your cancer worse. For a long time, it was believed that massage could actually spread cancer throughout the body, but that myth has definitely been debunked and proven to be false, as the benefits of massage and other spa services have not only been significantly proven out, but those benefits far outweigh any potential risks. And for anyone listening to this podcast who has had a cancer diagnosis and or lymph nodes biopsied, radiated or removed, if you're worried about whether or not you should have spa services, please don't be worried, because there are great facilities like Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique that are highly trained in oncology therapeutics, where the therapists know exactly what to do and who would love nothing more than to have you come in and work with you. Just be sure that, if you're going somewhere other than Panacea, that you go where the facility has therapists that are extensively trained in oncology services. This might require a little bit of digging on your part when booking your appointments because, like anything else, there are quick training programs that just barely scratch the surface of knowledge needed to work appropriately with these clients. So you want to make sure that your therapist didn't just take a three, five or eight-hour training class and now is considering themselves certified.

Speaker 1:

So look for spas and other facilities that have S4OM or S4OE trained therapists. This is the Society for Oncology Massage and the Society for Oncology Aesthetics, and they're an incredible organization that certifies training programs, like what we have at Panacea. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the safe use of massage therapy and aesthetics for individuals living with cancer. They're also an international alliance of educators, massage and esthetician practitioners, advocates and affiliate organizations, and their mission includes promoting oncology massage and aesthetics education standards and advocating for their inclusion as part of integrative health care. They evaluate and recognize educational programs and instructors who adhere to their standards for oncology massage and aesthetics, and they even maintain a preferred practitioner directory of qualified oncology massage therapists who have met specific training requirements according to the S4OM and S4OE standards. Other organizations like HealWell, tracy, walton Associates or NCBTMB are also involved in credentialing therapists.

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So if you're in need of an oncology spa service, just be sure to check out facilities who have therapists that are trained and credentialed by recognized institutions, like one of those that I've mentioned. When booking, you can ask the facility things like do you have oncology-specific training? Or where did your therapist get their training? How many hours of training have they received? How do you modify for ports, low platelets or lymphedema risk, and you can even ask them what's your protocol for disinfection and nail care. So those are just some of the questions that you can ask spas, salons and other facilities when you're seeking out oncology services.

Speaker 1:

But before we dive deeper into this, I want to share a couple of stories that really speak to the importance of what we do and why our focus on oncology therapeutics at Panacea is so important. So the first story I wanted to share with you comes from a business associate who I've done some work with in the past, and she sent this to me in an email and what she said was I've so enjoyed getting to know you and Panacea. I knew what you were doing was special, but I have a new appreciation for it through something my younger sister, an ovarian cancer survivor, experienced in the past few weeks, and I just wanted to share a story that proves why what you do is so important. She has struggled with her hip joints and ligaments ever since getting targeted radiation treatments there for her cancer during college. She had her labrum replaced last Labor Day and was doing great in recovery, physical therapy etc. But she went for a massage. She doesn't live in this area and after outlining her issues in detail, sharing doctor's orders, asking them not to touch her hip, etc. The therapist yanked on it and retore her labrum, putting nine months of surgery and recovery down the drain. The mental health impact alone has been almost more than she can bear, as you can imagine. We've been grieving with her and just wishing there was a panacea in her part of the world that would have handled her with the care she needed. So I want to offer endless validation for the work you do. It is so needed. I appreciate knowing you. And for those of you who aren't familiar with the labrum, this is the cartilage rim on our hip joint that helps hold and cushion the head of our femur into our hip socket. It provides joint stability, shock absorption and it helps prevent injuries in that area by sending nerve signals to the brain to help coordinate proper movement and coordination. So you can imagine tearing the labrum, how painful that would be and how debilitating that could really be for someone.

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So second story actually comes from a massage therapist on our team. After reading the story that I just shared with you, and we did use that story for some additional training with our massage therapist but here's what she says I have heard many stories from clients that haven't even had a cancer diagnosis talking to me about their own fears about hip replacements or shoulder injuries where a massage therapist thought by doing these kinds of manipulations they would help the client, but instead they caused more issues. Massage therapists in general should know better than to try to fix or work on issues in that manner. I would agree with that, but also for me. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to receive oncology training and show us how to help patients and survivors in a more knowledgeable way. I love this employee's feedback because what we learn in our oncology training absolutely translate to other significant health conditions like diabetes, parkinson's, alzheimer's, fibromyalgia, etc.

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What these stories share with you is that without proper training, a standard spa session could cause harm to the client if the therapist is not sensitive, educated and understanding about what the client has gone through, and if they're not knowledgeable and trained on how to properly modify the client service where needed, and also if they're not listening. So all of those things are super important because, as we learned in these examples, unfortunately not every therapist, salon or spa is trained in this regard, or, if they are trained, a lot of times they have only received the bare minimum of training so that they can say they offer oncology services in their facilities, but in reality they really do not understand the ramifications or the depth of everything that needs to be considered when working with these clients. And what is even sadder is that many therapists and spa owners are completely unaware of how their lack of proper training in this area can actually put a client at risk and or cause lifelong trauma for them. Additionally, something that is almost worse, in my opinion, than all of this is when a therapist refuses to work with a client because they have cancer, and they do that for fear of liability or mishandling of the client. I have heard so many stories about clients who had been receiving spa services their whole lives only to be turned away from therapists once they received a cancer diagnosis, as if receiving the cancer diagnosis wasn't frightening and emotionally damaging enough for that person. But to then be turned away because you've been diagnosed with cancer is just really sad and frustrating, and I don't think therapists who do this do so from a bad place. I think they're genuinely afraid to work on these clients and afraid that they could potentially cause even worse harm to them. But the ramifications of turning a client away who's already in an emotionally fragile state are enormous as well.

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One of our oncology trainers that comes to the spa was telling my team about a client that she used to work on who was an elderly man that came to her when he was turned down by his traditional massage therapist for a very long time and was so devastated when she turned him away, just because he had a cancer diagnosis, because for him he had been going through so much and had already lost so many people in his life that he loved. I think he was in his 80s so he was really just craving that human connection and the comfort of that human touch. So it was really devastating when that therapist that he loved going to so much wouldn't even work on him anymore. So thankfully he found our trainer and she was able to provide services to him until he passed. So my point is that being trained in oncology care can be as emotionally fulfilling for clients as it is therapeutic, and having this knowledge and training empowers the therapist with the confidence they need to safely and compassionately work with these clients. And again, what they learn in their training can translate to pretty much any significant health condition. So it's not just the cancer patient that we can really help benefit. It's so many other people and unfortunately, pretty much everyone we know has some sort of health concern or significant condition going on in their lives. So this training is really super valuable and important. So what is so different and unique about being oncology trained?

Speaker 1:

One of the biggest things to consider when working with someone who has had a cancer diagnosis, outside of the many things I mentioned above, is their risk for lymphedema. If not properly trained, we as therapists can put our clients at an increased risk for this condition, or, if the client already has it, we can aggravate their symptoms. If you're not familiar with lymphedema, this is a condition where lymph fluid builds up in your body tissues, most commonly in the arms or legs, although it can also occur in the neck, back, abdomen or other areas of the body. It's super painful and is typically characterized by swelling, heaviness, tightness, stiffness, reduced range of motion, thickening or hardening of the skin and increased infections in the affected area. Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic system becomes compromised. The lymphatic system, as you probably know, is a network of vessels, nodes and organs that help maintain fluid balance in the body. They help filter out waste products and it supports our immune system. But what most people don't realize is that if you've ever had a lymph node biopsied, radiated or removed, whether you've had a cancer diagnosis or not, you are now at a lifetime risk for having this condition, because now those areas are compromised and cannot properly drain the fluids and waste away from those areas. And if massage is conducted on that area and the therapist doesn't know how to properly modify their stroke direction and pressure levels so that the fluid isn't building up in that compromised area, this can lead to lymphedema or, like I said, if they already have lymphedema, it can aggravate their symptoms even more. So this is one of the major things we learn about when we go through oncology training and, while lymphedema is chronic and incurable, early diagnosis and consistent management can help control symptoms and prevent complications, and massage is one of those things that can help manage lymphedema.

Speaker 1:

So now that you know why oncology training is important, what does the training look like? So most programs are for licensed massage therapists or estheticians. The program that our therapists go through at Panacea is 32 continuing education credits, so all of our therapists do eight hours sometimes a little bit more depending on how fast you learn of theory training online prior to our three-day in-person class with our trainer. This is a hands-on training and in that training, one of those days we do what we call an oncology clinic, where we bring in volunteers who have had a cancer diagnosis so that we can practice our newly learned techniques on them. But during this clinic we ask our volunteers to share their story about how they discovered that they had cancer, what type of cancer they were diagnosed with, what types of treatments they went through, any conditions or residual side effects that they had or continue to have as a result of treatment, and how they're doing now.

Speaker 1:

This clinic is a very humbling and very emotional part of our training because every story we hear is compelling and so moving. Honestly, when you start to hear these people's stories and you see what they go through and this, in my opinion, is the most meaningful part of our training, because it creates so much compassion and empathy for our therapists and it really helps them understand what our clients have gone through, what their families and support systems go through, what they're still dealing with, including their fears and vulnerabilities and the worry that their cancer will come back again, which is something that really never leaves you once you've had a cancer diagnosis. It is also a therapeutic and healing experience for our volunteers, because not only do they get a complimentary massage session, but they actually find comfort in hearing the stories of the other volunteers in the room. It's almost like an instant support group, and I've even had some of the volunteers we've had in the past want to form a regular get-together at the spa, just so that they can keep in touch with each other and, as you'll hear in another story I'm going to share with you in a few minutes, this experience can be very emotionally relieving for them too. In our training, we also learn about cancer biology, side effects and decision trees around what and how to adapt our services based on what we learn in our intake forms and during our consultations with the clients. The course covers contraindications and various massage techniques for all of our therapists, whether they're a massage therapist, estheticians or nail techs.

Speaker 1:

At Panacea, we're always looking for additional ways to continue to develop our therapist's knowledge when it comes to oncology therapeutics. So next year we're going to be adding trainings around scar tissue mobilization and manual lymphatic drainage so that we can serve our clients in an even greater and more meaningful way. So how does this differ from typical spa care? When we're doing traditional spa services, we are normally focusing on relaxation, improvement in mobility, working out tight knots or adhesions or just soothing sore muscles. We use standard techniques like firm and deep tissue massage, aromatherapy, hot stone cupping, stretching scrubs and warm elements With facials. We're using exfoliating products, scrubs, peels and other products, and we're incorporating many relaxing massage techniques in the face, head, neck, arms, shoulders and décolleté. When we're doing nail services, we provide soothing foot and leg massages, hot stone therapy and other stress-relieving massage techniques.

Speaker 1:

And while all of these techniques are fine and require little to no modification for most clients, they can be potentially risky for cancer patients. That's not to say that clients who have had a cancer diagnosis can't ever have these things. We just have to know when and how to properly modify them in any areas that could be compromised. For example, if someone has lymphedema in their hand and arm, we're not going to apply warm mitts to that hand because heat can aggravate their symptoms. We're also going to modify our stroke direction so that we're not creating a scenario where fluid starts to build up in that arm because those lymph nodes are compromised in that area. Or let's say we have someone who is actively in treatment. For those clients, depending on their symptoms, we may need to modify our pressure levels at that time, but once they're finished with their treatment and feeling much better, we can typically go back to those deeper levels of pressure in any of the areas where they're not at risk for lymphedema.

Speaker 1:

Another example would be a client who we may suspect is at risk for a DVT or a deep vein thrombosis, which is a clot in their leg. That person shouldn't be getting massage on their legs at all and they really should be referred out to a physician immediately. And sometimes clients don't even know that this is an issue for them. So these are things that we can sometimes identify in their massages for them. When we look at accredited oncology, massage and aesthetics training programs, the therapists learn structured intake questions that allow them to screen for red flags like fevers, blood clots, dvts, low white blood cell counts, low platelet levels, and they also learn how to position the clients comfortably around things like ports or surgical sites. They also learn how to modify their pressure and their duration of pressure to protect those lymphatics and vulnerable tissues.

Speaker 1:

It's also about using toxin and fragrance-free products. So for facials, we want to use products that support our natural skin barrier and that protect skin that may be thinning or compromised. It's also about knowing when to avoid aggressive heat and not using exfoliating or active products that can cause damage to radiated or compromised skin. For nails, it's using minimal soak protocols, hospital-grade disinfection and no cuticle cutting or aggressive instrumentation. These are all things that we take very seriously at Panacea, so the client doesn't have to worry about these things when they come in for services. So, in summary, therapeutic oncology care is more customized and typically uses lighter touch and slower movements to calm the central nervous system, while also modifying our stroke directions in compromised lymph areas where lymphedema could be a concern.

Speaker 1:

It's also about addressing side effects from chemotherapy, radiation or surgery and reducing pain, nausea, fatigue and anxiety without exacerbating other symptoms. So what about the science? Is there proof that spa services can benefit clients who have had a cancer diagnosis? And, of course, the answer to that is yes, or I wouldn't be here talking about this, so let's share some of those studies. For instance, in a large study of 1,290 patients, oncology massage led to a 50% drop in pain, fatigue and anxiety. Imagine a client undergoing chemotherapy being able to report a reduction in nausea after sessions, allowing that person to eat and rest better. They would have much better successful outcomes with their treatments. Another example is from a pilot study that showed frequent massages In this study it was three times per week they showed that it reduced chemotherapy-induced neuropathy more effectively than less frequent ones.

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Emotionally, sessions can provide a getaway from the hospital, and one meta-analysis confirmed pain relief, while a study on caregivers noted reduced stress too. One of the things we know for sure about cancer is that stress and anxiety proliferate the exacerbation of cancer cell development. So anything we can do to reduce or eliminate these stressors in their lives will only lead to better treatment outcomes overall. And when we look at massage specifically, a large hospital-based outcome study at Memorial Sloan Kettering found meaningful immediate reductions in pain, anxiety, fatigue and other symptoms after massage, with the benefits persisting for up to 48 hours in their outpatients, and newer reviews continue to support reductions in cancer pain, anxiety and improvements in quality of life. And when we look at aesthetics and skincare, a 2022 peer-reviewed journal published by Healthcare, noted that up to 95% of breast cancer patients who have undergone adjuvant radiation therapy after surgery develop radiation dermatitis during or following the radiation therapy treatments.

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This is a painful and sometimes unsightly condition that's characterized by redness, itching, burning, dryness, peeling, even blistering, ulcers and, as you can imagine, pain, tenderness, and if the skin barrier is broken, it can lead to infections too. It can also lead to skin thickening and hardening, changes in your skin pigmentation, or even telangiectasias, which are like the tiny, like broken capillaries and blood vessels that you can see through the surface of the skin. Randomized clinical trials and other literature in this review provide evidence that radiation dermatitis can be prevented or reduced through the implementation of a skincare plan, and what they found is that it is an opportunity for patients to fully engage in self-care, not only promoting their skin health, reducing radiation therapy-associated side effects and promoting the restoration of skin integrity, but it can also enhance their sense of control with a stressful context of their cancer treatments. Ultimately, the implementation of a skincare plan can avert a delay in treatment or the discontinuation of radiation therapy due to radiation dermatitis, and thereby afford breast cancer patients the greatest chance for long-term survival.

Speaker 1:

So before we wrap up today, I wanted to share a few messages from clients who participated in our most recent oncology training class at Panacea. This first one comes from a client whose mom volunteered to be a model for our oncology training program and she says my mom attended the session for cancer survivors yesterday and went on and on about how wonderful it was. She was very impressed with the owner who seemed to care so genuinely about providing care for those in remission. Our family will be utilizing the spa for life because of this experience. Thank you for caring about those impacted by cancer. That kind of chokes me up a little bit. The second one comes from a cancer survivor who also attended one of our oncology training sessions and she said thank you, krista, for inviting me to your discussion with your therapists and cancer survivors. I was so impressed with how many therapists you had in this discussion and learning about the effects of oncology treatments as I sat there. I was wishing this was available to me.

Speaker 1:

During my cancer treatment I did have two massages at the James, but was still walking into a place where I had appointments and mental health therapy, and always surrounded by cancer patients. To know about panacea at that time would have been wonderful. My massage with Camille was exceptional. She was professional and it was obvious she had a lot of training and experience, because it was the best massage I ever had. The spa was beautiful and the amenities were amazing. I will be coming back and look forward to listening to your podcast. The hyperbaric chamber intrigued me too, as this is suggested for so many cancer survivors. I have one suggestion about putting your name out there at the James, not only to help people, but to also attract new customers. They had a list of providers for many services acupuncture, meditation, et cetera. If you could get Panacea on that list as a spa with hyperbaric chamber and trained oncology therapists, I feel you could reach many people. Thank you, krista, for such a wonderful experience and I look forward to listening to your podcasts.

Speaker 1:

Lastly, a third story, and this one I love so much, not only because our training was so meaningful and humbling for our team, but it was so emotionally therapeutic for this particular client, which just fills my heart in more ways than I can even possibly ever express, and here's what he said. Thanks again for letting me be a part of today. My cancer journey is not something I think about daily, so getting to share my story was more therapeutic than I expected. Jamie was great and today made me realize I need more spa days in my life. I also never congratulated you on opening the next Panacea in Dublin. That's exciting and I'm glad it's going so well for you. Keep spreading the love and those positive vibes.

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So, in summary, oncology care isn't just a spa luxury. It's vital, trained support that enhances healing. And for me, I created Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique so we can provide a beautiful, amazing, tranquil, relaxing space for cancer survivors and their support systems, who, unfortunately, are so often forgotten about when they're going through something with a loved one as devastating as a cancer diagnosis. So they need this care too, and oftentimes the caregivers go through as much emotionally, if not more. So I wanted them and those who have been diagnosed with cancer to have a place where they can come and be together, receive all of the incredible immune boosting and healing benefits that we know our services can provide, but also be in a place where they can forget about their cancer for the one, two, three or more hours that they're there with us and know that they are in the hands of highly skilled and trained therapists who can manage all the things that I mentioned in this episode. It's also an escape from the sterile hospital medical environment where they spend so much of their time, and while hospitals and physician offices are trying to incorporate spot into their practices, it will never be like panacea.

Speaker 1:

So if you're in treatment or recovery, know that you deserve safe, restorative touch and care that respects what your body's navigating. And if you or someone you know is facing cancer, seek highly trained therapists and always consult with your physicians before receiving new therapies. If you're a therapist, consider oncology training. It's career expanding and deeply meaningful work. At panacea. We're always looking for incredible, passionate and compassionate therapists. So if this sounds like something you would be interested in, come in and talk to us and apply for a position online At Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique.

Speaker 1:

As always, we're all about helping you feel your best. So if you have more questions or you want to learn more, please message into the show and I'll do my best to get you the answers you are looking for. And if you have a panacea experience you want to share, please send that to me too. I never get tired of hearing how what we do has made an impact on people's lives, so please send those stories my way. And before we wrap up today, please remember that everything shared on Serenity and Fire is meant for general information and inspiration only.

Speaker 1:

The topics we discuss are not intended to diagnose, treat or replace personalized medical care, so please always consult with your healthcare provider before trying anything we talk about. Your health is unique and your care should be too. Okay. That's it for today's episode. Remember, if you want to start biohacking your way to better health, start at Panacea Luxury Spa Boutique. You'll save 10% on a hyperbaric oxygen therapy or whole body LED light bed therapy session when you book your first treatment using the code Serenity10. And don't forget to leave us a review and hit subscribe to the Serenity and Fire show wherever you get your podcasts. This helps us reach more people like you, so we can spread the word of health and wellness to the masses. Until next time, keep balancing serenity with fire. I'm Krista Guageni and I'll talk with you in our next episode.