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Effects of Aromatherapy on Physical and Mental Health of Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy and/or Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis

  • Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine
  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Backgroup

Currently, aromatherapy is being increasingly utilized in clinical practice, particularly in managing the side effects associated with radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. However, it remains to be established whether aromatherapy can effectively alleviate these symptoms.

Objective

To investigate the effects of aromatherapy on the physical and mental health of patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Methods

Seven databases were researched from inception until September 29, 2023, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, China Biology Medicine disc and VIP Chinese Medical Journal Database. Review Manager version 5.3 was utilized for data analysis. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool RoB2 was employed to evaluate the quality of the literature included in the study. Evidence quality rating was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach through the GRADEpro GDT online tool.

Results

Nineteen studies involving 1,541 patients were included. Aromatherapy can alleviate nausea [relative risk (RR)=0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53 to 0.78, P<0.05, I2=46%; standardized mean difference (SMD)=-0.86, 95% CI: −1.21 to −0.51, P<0.05, I2=64%] and vomiting (RR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.69, P<0.05, I2=35%; SMD=−1.28, 95% CI: −1.52 to −1.03, P<0.05, I2=92%), improve sleep disorders [mean difference (MD)=−3.39, 95% CI: −3.95 to −2.84, P<0.05, I2=0%], relieve pain (SMD=−1.58, 95% CI: −1.96 to −1.21, P<0.05, I2=0%), mitigate fatigue (SMD=−1.28, 95% CI: −2.44 to −0.11, P<0.05, I2=93%) and enhance quality of life (SMD=0.50, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.79, P<0.05, I2=0%) in cancer patients after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but it may not have a significant effect on anxiety. The risk of bias was high in the included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool RoB2, and no studies were considered to be of high grade according to the GRADE system.

Conclusions

Aromatherapy is an efficacious, safe and economic adjunctive therapy for cancer patients, which can mend the physical symptoms and mental health of cancer patients. However, more high-quality studies are needed to verify it. (PROSPERO registration No. CRD42023390171)

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China

    Shuang-ran Xie & Liang Ma

  2. Department of Medical Oncology, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310007, China

    Xin-yu Xu

  3. Department of Dermatology, the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China

    Shu Zhou

  4. Department of Famous Chinese Medicine Clinic, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310005, China

    Hui-miao Xie

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310006, China

    Chang-sheng Xie

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  1. Shuang-ran Xie
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  2. Liang Ma
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  3. Xin-yu Xu
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  4. Shu Zhou
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  5. Hui-miao Xie
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Contributions

Xie SR, Ma L, Xu XY and Zhou S searched and screened the literature. Xie SR and Ma L conducted the meta-analysis. Xie SR and Xu XY wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Ma L Zhou S, Xie HM and Xie CS revised the final draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chang-sheng Xie.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare that they have no competing interests. This study was the funders had no role in the design of the study, or collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.

Additional information

Supported by National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (Project No. 202210344031)

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Xie, Sr., Ma, L., Xu, Xy. et al. Effects of Aromatherapy on Physical and Mental Health of Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy and/or Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 30, 449–457 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-024-3659-y

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