# Application of Affective Touch in Patients With Advanced Cancer: Effects on Existential Distress, Pain, and Quality of Life

## TL;DR

This study shows that affective touch can reduce existential distress and improve quality of life in advanced cancer patients, though its pain relief effects are short-lived.

## Contribution

The study introduces affective touch as a non-drug intervention for advanced cancer patients, showing its impact on existential distress and quality of life.

## Key findings

- Affective touch significantly reduced existential distress in patients with advanced cancer.
- Quality of life scores improved significantly in the experimental group after the intervention.
- Pain levels decreased immediately after daily touch sessions but not over the long term.

## Abstract

Patients with advanced cancer generally experience adverse physical and mental burdens. As a nondrug approach, affective touch provides support for oncology nurses in helping patients with advanced cancer overcome these burdens.

This study was designed to implement an affective touch intervention for patients with advanced cancer to explore its effects on existential distress, pain, and quality of life in this vulnerable patient population.

In this randomized controlled trial, 83 patients with advanced cancer were allocated randomly to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group received the affective touch intervention once a day for 2 weeks. General data were collected from all of the participants before the intervention. Existential Distress Scale and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General scores were collected both before and 2 weeks after the intervention. Average pain levels on the Brief Pain Inventory were collected before and at weeks 1 and 2 of the intervention. Current pain levels were collected daily after the intervention.

After completing the 2-week intervention, the total scores for the control and experimental groups were, respectively, 8.15 ± 2.23 and 6.60 ± 2.75 (p < .05) for existential distress and 50.24 ± 12.35 and 57.24 ± 14.26 (<.001) for quality of life, showing a significant improvement effect for the intervention. Affective touch was shown to have an immediate ameliorative effect on pain after the daily intervention but was not shown to be significantly effective in providing long-term pain relief at either 1 or 2 weeks after the intervention.

Affective touch, as a simple, noninvasive, and cost-effective approach implemented alongside routine nursing care, may improve existential distress, immediate pain, and quality of life in patients with advanced cancer. The affective touch intervention is worth promoting and applying in clinical settings. Further efforts by senior practice nurses are needed to incorporate this intervention into medical oncology practice.