Study on aromatherapy for cancer patients

Palliative care is a holistic, active treatment for people of all ages who are suffering from serious illness-related complaints - especially for patients in the last phase of life. It is offered to cancer patients whose severe suffering cannot be alleviated without professional intervention and affects their physical, social, spiritual and emotional well-being. Aromatherapy, a form of complementary and alternative medicine, represents a simple, low-risk and cost-effective palliative treatment option. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of massage, aromatherapy massage and the combination of massage and aromatherapy inhalation on cancer patients in palliative care.

A total of 100 participants were randomly divided into four groups. The first group (control group) received regular hospital care, the second group received massage with odorless almond oil only, the third group received massage with lavender oil, and the fourth group received a combination of aromatherapy inhalation and massage. Two weeks after aromatherapy, the participants' perception of the care was assessed using the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL).

The combination therapy of massage and aromatherapy inhalation achieved the best results on the RSCL. There were significant differences between the control group and all three treatment groups in terms of physical symptoms, psychological complaints and activities. However, there was no significant difference in overall quality of life between the control group and the group receiving massage alone.

Massage in combination with aromatherapy inhalation has a positive impact on physical and psychological symptoms, daily activities and overall quality of life of cancer patients in early palliative care. It is recommended that nurses and other healthcare providers support programs that provide massage therapy to alleviate physical discomfort, psychological distress and restricted activities in cancer patients.