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Massage increases natural killer cells in women with breast cancer

Dr. Reif-Hernandez and colleagues report that among women diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent either massage or progressive muscle relaxation therapy, those who did the massage ended up reporting less depression, less anger and increased vigor and also demonstrated increases in dopamine, Natural Killer cells and lymphocyte levels in their bodies. These immune factors have significant potential to impact the course or outcome of their breast cancer treatment. Dr. Dr. Reif-Hernandez partly concludes that these findings "highlight the benefit of these complementary therapies, most particularly massage therapy, for women with breast cancer."

     Psychiatric Practice 2005, 11, 302-314

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Early Migraine Headaches Helped More with Acetaminophen-Aspirin-Caffeine (AAC) Combination Than Sumatriptan  

Dr. Jerome Goldstein and colleagues from the San Francisco Headache Clinic report that at the earliest sign of a migraine headache, the use of combination analgesics, such as coffee and aspirin, can be therapeutically potent. Dr. Goldstein and colleagues compared the combination treatment with the use of 50mg Sumatriptan in 171 subjects treated when the first symptoms of migraine occurred. Patients treated with AAC experienced significantly greater pain intensity reduction than those taking sumatriptan beginning 2 hours after dosing and continuing throughout a 4-hour treatment period. Little or no functional disability was reported by 81% of the AAC patients as compared with only 62% of the sumatriptan patients. In addition to the reported results, Dr. Goldstein also recommended that “Physical methods to control headache such as biofeedback therapy, massage, yoga and exercises should be utilized,” in addition to either over the counter medication or prescription medication.

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U.S. ahead of many Western countries in medical errors

In a questionnaire-based study which surveyed 700-750 adults, half of whom were over 50 years of age, Schoen and colleagues report on a 2005 survey of sicker adults (chronic disease and recent intense utilization of the medical care system) in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the UK and the US, the US stood out in the categories of inefficient care and medical errors. For example, lab-error rates were significantly higher in the United States as compared to the other five countries. In addition, over-all, one in four patients in each country said that medical risks were not completely explained to them; close to one in five said they had inadequate pain management. Nineteen to 26% of patients in all countries reported communication gaps between staff and themselves as well as one in six saying they wished they had had greater involvement in the decision making process regarding their treatment. One-third of patients in all countries surveyed reported that they did not receive instructions on what symptoms to watch for and did not know whom to contact with questions and had no follow up care arrangements. The researchers conclude, “No country emerges as systematically the best or worst.” The findings suggest that many of the problems with which policy leaders are grappling transcend specific payment or delivery systems and will require more fundamental transformation.

          Health Affairs (2005;10.1377/hlthaff.w5.509) http://content.healthaffairs.org/  and http://www.cmwf.org/

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Psychotherapy clients' utilization of complementary and alternative therapies

Dr. Gary Elkins and colleagues surveyed 262 psychotherapy clients and found that mind-body therapies were the CAM Therapies most often used (44%) followed by herbal therapies (34%), physical modalities (21%), spiritual modalities (17%) and finally special diet (14%). Even so, only 34% of the psychotherapy clients surveyed had mentioned their use of complementary and alternative therapies to their psychotherapists. The authors also report that psychotherapy clients seeking treatment for anxiety and depression may be more likely than the general population to use CAM therapies for relieving their symptoms. The researchers conclude, “Taken together, these data suggest that the use of complementary and alternative therapies may be an important consideration in providing psychotherapy to some clients.”

             Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training 2005, 42(2), 232-235

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Dr. Larry Lachman is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with Inner Dimensions Group in Monterey, California, who specializes in Psycho-Oncology, Cardiac Psychology, Pain Management and Grief and Loss. Dr. Lachman is the co-author with Carmel Poet/Philosopher Ric Masten of a book on coping with cancer entitled, “Parallel Journeys.” Dr. Lachman is also the Program Manager for the Graduate Psychology Program at Chapman University College in Monterey, as well as an adjunct instructor at the California School of Professional Psychology-At Alliant International University in San Francisco and the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at John F. Kennedy University in Campbell, California.

Dr. Larry Lachman
P. O. Box 22151
Carmel, CA 93922
(831) 643-2635/Fx (831) 855-0278
DrLarryCancerPet@Comcast.net   http://www.paralleljourneys-cancer.com/