Patients with cancer often suffer physically, socially, mentally and spiritually. Complementary medicine (CM) aims to relieve this suffering. At the Palliative Care Unit and the Radiotherapy Unit of Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Centre facial-massage-relaxation (FMR) was offered as a form of CM to cancer patients in the palliative phase. The effect on quality of life was studied. In a quasi-experimental effect study patients were selected for a control (n=15) and an experimental group (n=19), which was offered the FMR. Both groups were tested on day -2 and 7. Data were collected by standar- dized questionnaires about several aspects of quality of life. Comparison between the pre-an post measurements in the intervention group showed a decline in physical complaints fatigue, nausea, appetite, and pain. Also an improvement in total mood, depression and stress. Although applying a variance analysis (repeated measures model) no significant differences between the intervention and control group were found. The facial relaxation was highly appreciated by the patients. They gave an average mark of 8.6 (range 1-10) for quality and experience of the FMR. In this small group of palliative cancer patients, FMR does not have an impact on the quality of life, however, the evaluation of the FMR was positive. The methodology of this type of intervention studies in CAM will be discussed.