Effect of Massage Therapy on Sleep Quality in Hospitalized Pediatric Cancer Patients Aged 12 to 21 Undergoing Chemotherapy or Stem Cell Transplant

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effects of massage therapy on hospitalized pediatric patients aged 12 to 21 years who are receiving intensive chemotherapy or stem cell transplant SCT for cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia or relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study explores whether individualized massage can improve sleep duration and quality, enhance circadian rhythms, and reduce fatigue, anxiety, and pain compared to standard care. This trial is sponsored by the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Participants are randomly assigned to either receive standard care or massage therapy. Those in the massage group will get a 20- to 30-minute massage five days a week for three weeks 21 days. The control group will receive the institutional standard of care without massage. This intervention is provided during hospitalization at either Childrens National or Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Throughout the study, researchers will monitor sleep changes using total sleep minutes over three weeks as the primary outcome. Secondary measures include sleep quality assessed by circadian activity rhythms, quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, and pain levels. Participants will complete questionnaires, and their sleep and activity patterns will be tracked to assess the effects of massage therapy during their inpatient stay. The total study duration per participant is about three weeks.

Massage Impact on Sleep in Pediatric Oncology