This single-centre, prospective RCT examined the effect of repeated effleurage massage treatments compared with a visit control group on circulating lymphocytes by studying the number and activity of peripheral blood NK cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in women with breast cancer. Furthermore, the effect of repeated effleurage massage treatments on the levels of cortisol in saliva and oxytocin in plasma as well as degree of anxiety, depression and QoL was studied. The study was conducted in a radiation department of a hospital in south-western Sweden. Twenty-two women (mean age 62 years) with breast cancer undergoing radiation were included. The patients were randomly assigned to effleurage massage therapy (20 min of effleurage on 10 occasions) or to control visits (ten 20-min visits). Blood samples were collected before the first and last massage/control visit for analysis of peripheral blood NK, T cells and oxytocin. Saliva was analysed for cortisol. In addition, the patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and Spielberger’s STAI prior to the first and last massage/control visit. Effleurage massage treatment had no significant effect on the number, frequencies or activation state of NK cells or CD4+ or CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, no significant changes between groups were detected on cortisol and oxytocin concentrations, anxiety, depression or QoL.