Author: Iacorossi L1, Di Ridolfi P2, Bigiarini L3, Giannarelli D4, Sanguineti G5
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>PhD, MsC, RN, Nurse Researcher - DITRAR - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori "Regina Elena" di Roma. Corresponding Author: laura.iacorossi@ifo.gov.it.
<sup>2</sup>Infermiere coordinatore - Unità Operativa Complessa di Radioterapia - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori "Regina Elena" di Roma.
<sup>3</sup>Infermiere, Master 2 livello in Reiki - Unità Operativa Complessa di Radioterapia - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori "Regina Elena" di Roma.
<sup>4</sup>Unità Biostatistica - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori "Regina Elena" di Roma.
<sup>5</sup>Direttore Unità Operativa Complessa di Radioterapia - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori "Regina Elena" di Roma.
Conference/Journal: Prof Inferm.
Date published: 2017 Oct-Dec
Other:
Volume ID: 70 , Issue ID: 3 , Pages: 214-221 , Special Notes: doi: 10.7429/pi.2017.704214. [Article in Italian; Abstract available in Italian from the publisher] , Word Count: 193
BACKGROUND: Cancer patients often report symptoms related to therapeutic treatment, whose management is based on traditional medicine. In recent years, however, there has been growing interest towards adopting some form of complementary medicine, among these, Reiki. The aim of this study is to evaluate how this type of discipline can contribute to managing radiotherapy-related symptoms in patients with head and neck cancer.
METHOD: The study was performed in the Radiotherapy Department at the Regina Elena National Cancer Institute in Rome. To assess QoL, the FACT-H N questionnaire was used, while the CTCAE Scale was adopted to evaluate mucositis, cutaneous toxicity and salivation.
RESULTS: 10.5% of patients were reported to experience strong pain in the fifth week, compared to 21.1% of patients in the previous week; a degree of mucositis equal to G3 was also found in 15.5% of cases according to the clinical evaluation, as well as in 10.5% of patients according to the functional one. Only one case (5.3%) of grade 3 cutaneous toxicity was registered.
CONCLUSION: The study shows how the Reiki treatment benefits patients in most cases, with both psychological support to help deal with the therapeutic process together with integrated support towards pain therapy.
PMID: 29460558