If you or loved one face surgery for colon cancer, you may want to consider adding massage and acupuncture to the usual care provided. Here's what a recent study recommends.

There is no "natural" cure for cancer, and so-called therapies based on that claim have injured many cancer patients -- either directly through dangerous "treatments" or indirectly because some individuals turned to unproven therapies in place of treatments validated by solid research. However, there are several nonmedical therapies that, when used along with conventional therapies, may reduce some of the adverse effects from cancer treatment or may help ease the pain and tension colorectal cancer patients may experience.

For example, studies show that practices such as meditation or guided imagery and visualization can be calming. Yoga and tai chi also may be helpful. Acupuncture has been shown to provide relief for some kinds of pain. Herbs, such as peppermint and ginger, may help ease the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

If you have surgery for colon cancer, you may want to consider adding massage and acupuncture to the usual care provided. According to a recent study reported in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (Volume 33, page 258), massage and acupuncture relieved pain and depression in surgery patients more than traditional postoperative care alone.

In the study, both massage and acupuncture were given for 10-30 minutes at the bedsides of 138 people who underwent surgery for intestinal and other cancers. Swedish massage was used along with an acupressure foot massage. Acupuncture was given at points related to the patients' symptoms, which included pain and nausea.

On a scale of 1–10, pain scores in the massage/acupuncture group declined by 1.4 points compared with 0.6 points in the usual-care group. Among people who reported pain of at least level 3 on the scale, pain scores declined by nearly 2 points compared with 0.3 points for those who received usual care. Therapy with massage and acupuncture was similarly effective in alleviating depressed moods.

Bottom line: These findings require confirmation in a larger study. Nevertheless, there is a growing acceptance among healthcare providers of complementary therapies such as these to help relieve the side effects of cancer treatment. If you're scheduled for colorectal cancer surgery, find out if your hospital or cancer center offers such therapies and whether some of these treatments are covered by your insurance.