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Massage therapists are likely to work with clients who have been diagnosed with cancer, are undergoing treatment, or are cancer survivors. Understanding how cancer and its treatments may affect the body is an important part of providing safe, informed, and compassionate massage therapy.
This 10 CE hour course, Cancer and Massage Therapy, provides massage therapists with a practical introduction to cancer and important considerations when working with clients affected by cancer. You’ll learn about different types of cancer, risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, staging, treatment options, and common cancer myths.
The course also focuses specifically on the role of massage therapy in cancer care, including potential benefits, contraindications, safety considerations, and guidelines for working with clients before, during, and after cancer treatment. Basic massage techniques and considerations for different cancer conditions are also discussed.
In the course, you will learn:
The basics of cancer, including how cancer develops and the different types of cancer
Current cancer statistics, prevalence, and risk factors
Common causes, myths, signs, and symptoms of cancer
Cancer prevention, screening, and early detection
How cancer is diagnosed and staged
Common cancer treatments and how they may affect the body
The potential benefits of massage therapy for clients with cancer
Important contraindications and precautions when working with clients affected by cancer
Guidelines for safely working with clients during and after cancer treatment
Basic massage therapy techniques and considerations for different cancer conditions
When additional training or specialized cancer massage education may be appropriate
Why take this course?
Cancer does not automatically mean that massage therapy is off-limits. However, working with a client who has cancer requires knowledge, appropriate precautions, and an understanding of how the disease and its treatments can affect the body.
This course can help you feel more confident when a current or future client tells you they have cancer or are a cancer survivor. Rather than simply avoiding massage, you’ll learn how to better understand the client’s situation, recognize important safety considerations, and make informed decisions about when and how massage therapy may be appropriate.
Whether you regularly work with clients affected by cancer or simply want to be better prepared for situations that may arise in your practice, this course provides valuable foundational knowledge you can apply to your massage therapy practice.
Text: Cancer and Massage Therapy, by Melissa M. Dawahare, ND, 51 pages
Guide with instructions
Multiple choice exam of 80 questions
Course evaluation
Certificate of achievement for 10 CE hours upon completion
Unlimited phone and email support for any of your questions
The Center for Massage Therapy Continuing Education, LLC is an Approved Provider through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB); Approved Provider number 409296-00.
Our continuing education courses are also accepted by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), and most state boards.
For more information on individual state requirements and approvals, please visit our Approvals page and click on your state.
Straight-forward without any trick questions! To me, that defeats the purpose... I also liked how much I learned and that it definitely is a treatment area I want to pursue! Affordable too. - Leslie Smith
It was straight forward and to the point. - K Elliott, LMT
It was easy to understand and the quiz questions were straight forward and easy to find the answers if I was uncertain. - J. Verros, NCBTMB
Great information. - Teresa Dukes, LMT
I really like this course! I learned so much about cancer and the impact. Some of the information I read was what I needed to learn and put in use. - Lynn Smith, LMT
Easy to read and understand. I didn't have to re-read to try to make sense of the material. - M. Von Haden
Cancer prevalence is:
A. The number of people diagnosed last year with cancer
B. The number of children living with cancer
C. A measure of how common a certain kind of cancer is
D. The total number of people living with cancer
Which of the following is a possible clinical presentation of someone with cancer?
A. Patient with stage 3 breast cancer
B. Patient with thyroid cancer
C. Long term cancer survivor
D. All of the above are possible clinical presentations
What myth is behind the absolute contraindication of massage therapy in cancer?
A. Massage promotes metastasis by increasing lymph and blood circulation
B. Massage promotes pain relief and feelings of well-being
C. Massage promotes stress reduction and decreases anxiety
D. Massage promotes metastasis by decreasing lymph and blood circulation
Course Author
About the Instructor
Dr. Melissa Dawahare, NMD, RN
Melissa Dawahare, NMD, RN, is a naturopathic medical doctor and a registered nurse with 30 years of experience in the medical field. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Nursing and Sonoran University of Health Sciences, formerly the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona. Dr. Dawahare is the author of several of our continuing education courses including Acupressure Basics, Essential Oils Overview, Massage and Migraines, and Massage and Fibromyalgia Sundrome.
