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Learn how cancer and cancer treatments may affect the body and explore important considerations for providing safe, informed massage therapy to clients affected by cancer. This 10-hour continuing education course introduces massage therapists to different types of cancer, risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, staging, treatment options, and common cancer myths.
The course also examines the role of massage therapy in cancer care, including potential benefits, contraindications, precautions, and guidelines for working with clients before, during, and after cancer treatment. Basic massage techniques and considerations for working with different cancer conditions are also discussed.
In this course, you will learn:
The basics of cancer and how cancer develops
Different types of cancer, risk factors, signs, and symptoms
Cancer prevention, screening, and early detection
How cancer is diagnosed and staged
Common cancer treatments and how they may affect the body
Potential benefits of massage therapy for clients affected by cancer
Important contraindications, precautions, and safety considerations
Guidelines for working with clients during and after cancer treatment
Massage therapy techniques and considerations for different cancer conditions
When additional training or specialized cancer massage education may be appropriate
Why take this course?
Massage therapists may work with clients who have cancer, are undergoing treatment, or are cancer survivors. Having a better understanding of cancer and its treatments can help massage therapists make informed decisions about client care and recognize situations that may require additional precautions or professional guidance.
Whether you regularly work with clients affected by cancer or simply want to be better prepared when cancer becomes part of a client's health history, this course provides foundational knowledge to help you approach cancer-related massage therapy with greater confidence and awareness.
Describe the basic characteristics and development of cancer.
Identify common types of cancer, risk factors, signs, and symptoms.
Explain the general processes of cancer screening, diagnosis, and staging.
Describe common cancer treatments and their potential effects on the body.
Discuss potential benefits of massage therapy for clients affected by cancer.
Identify contraindications, precautions, and safety considerations when working with clients with cancer.
Describe massage therapy considerations for clients before, during, and after cancer treatment.
Recognize situations in which additional training or specialized cancer massage education may be appropriate.
Text: Cancer and Massage Therapy, by Melissa M. Dawahare, ND, 51 pages
Course instruction guide
80-question multiple choice final exam
Course evaluation
Certificate of Achievement for 10 CE hours upon completion
Unlimited phone and email support for course-related 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 Syndrome.
