One out of three people will fight cancer in their life. It’s one of the most difficult things a person can face—physically and emotionally. Ask anyone who has battled the disease, and they’ll tell you the treatment is often worse than the disease! Cancer patients must endure drugs that are incredibly hard on the body, wiping out any energy they had to begin with and increasing stress levels. Fortunately, studies show that massage therapy can significantly help cancer patients during this difficult time.

According to the American Cancer Society, massage is one of the best ways to bring comfort and to improve the quality of life for cancer patients. Massage is a natural way to help one relax and cope with stress, anxiety, and pain, and is therefore a proactive way for cancer patients to help themselves before, during, and after treatment.

What does massage do for cancer patients? The Cochrane Collaboration conducted a three-year study that looked at the effects of massage therapy on almost 1,300 people with cancer. The study found that massage therapy greatly reduced pain, sickness, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in 100% of the patients. In a study of breast cancer patients published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, the Touch Research Institute found that massage therapy improved immune function following the massage.

The studies overwhelmingly show that massage has positive benefit. But is it safe for anyone with cancer? Only your doctor can say whether massage therapy is appropriate, so it is important to clear it with the oncologist before getting on a massage routine. While it’s rare for a doctor to say no, there may be some restrictions based on where you are in your treatment cycle.

Once the doctor has granted permission for massage therapy, it is important to find a qualified massage therapist. A massage therapist that has graduated from an accredited massage school and has received their National certification will have had training while in school, so it is critical that you make sure the therapist you’re seeing is Nationally certified. If you aren’t sure, ask; they will be happy to show you their license. It is also good to ask if they have worked with cancer patients. If they do not have the right experience, or don’t work with cancer patients, they’ll be happy to refer you to a qualified colleague.

What can you expect during a cancer massage? This will depend on where you are in the treatment cycle. But you can expect to have a conversation with the massage therapist about your treatments and general health, such as what your blood counts are, whether you had lymph nodes removed, or if you have any implanted medical devices (like a chemo port)—these factors will dictate what kind of modifications the therapist will need to make to the massage routine. The therapist will adapt the massage to your health needs and personal preferences, resulting in a session that will relax and energize you while reducing pain and discomfort.