Table 3.

Description of massage therapy interventions.

Study	Massage modality	Massage procedure	Intervention instructor	Timing of intervention	Intervention duration	Frequency	Follow-up
S1: [33]	Reflexology therapy	Pressing the major reflexive points of the soles with the thumb and index finger in a worm-like movement	NR	After chemotherapy	4 weeks	Twice per week, 20 min per session	No
S2: [29]	Chinese massage therapy	(1) Massaging the patient's Zusanli, Yongquan, Neiguan, Guanyuan, Baihui, Shenmen, and temple points (2) Massaging and beating of acupuncture point on the affected side of the patient's affected limb that had limited mobility	Specialist nurses	After surgery	3 months	Twice per week, around 30 min per session	No
S3: [25]	Swedish massage therapy	SMT techniques using effleurage kneading of underlying muscles and tapotement (1) Patient takes a prone position while the therapist performs massage from the shoulders to the feet (2) Patient turns to a supine position and the massage therapist continues with the intervention from the feet to the shoulders, and then the head	Licensed massage therapists	After primary treatment	6 weeks	Weekly, 45 min per session	No
S4: [27]	Reflexology therapy	(1) Performing primary relaxation techniques (effleurage, shaking, rotation, and stretching) on both feet (2) Performing reflexology techniques on all organ systems	Trained researcher	During chemotherapy	Three sessions (one in each chemotherapy cycle, 21 days)	Around 30–40 min each session	No
S5: [32]	Reflexology therapy	Performing nine reflexes on the foot with thumb-walking pressure	Trained caregivers	During chemotherapy, targeted, or hormonal therapy	4 weeks	Weekly, 30 min per session	11 weeks
S6: [22]	Myofascial massage	Performing pressure, stroke, ear pull, and frontalis bone spread skills on the neck-shoulder area with the Barnes approach	Physical therapist	After coadjuvant treatment except hormone therapy	NR	Two occasions separated by a 2-week interval, 40 min per session	No
S7: [31]	Reflexology therapy	Stimulating the nine essential reflexes specifically relating to breast cancer using reflexology (deep thumb-walking pressure)	Certified reflexologists	During chemotherapy	4 weeks	Weekly, 30 min per session	No
S8: [26]	Modified Swedish massage therapy	Applying strokes, including light moving touch, compression, and static holds technique	Licensed massage therapists	During radiation therapy	3 weeks	Weekly, 30 min per session	No
S9: [23]	Swedish massage therapy	Applying stroking, friction, kneading skills to the patients in a prone position. Muscles for massage: compendiously neck muscles, autochthonal back muscles, scapulae, trapezii, latissimi dorsi, supraspinati, teres majores, pectorales majores, and so on	Licensed, trained female massage therapist	After primary treatment	5 weeks	Twice a week, 30 min per session	11 weeks
S10: [24]	Swedish massage therapy	Same as [24]	Licensed, trained female massage therapist	After chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy	5 weeks	Twice a week, 30 min per session	11 weeks

Note. NR = not reported.