Ginger essential oil (GIN-106) in an aromatherapy inhaler. Subject will take 3 sniffs of the inhaler four times daily (morning, noon, evening, bedtime) for 7 consecutive days during two chemotherapy cycles.

Orange essential oil (ORG-114) in an aromatherapy inhaler. Subject will take 3 sniffs of the inhaler four times daily (morning, noon, evening, bedtime) for 7 consecutive days during two chemotherapy cycles.

Lavender essential oil (LAV-110) in an aromatherapy inhaler. Subject will take 3 sniffs of the inhaler four times daily (morning, noon, evening, bedtime) for 7 consecutive days during two chemotherapy cycles.

Jojoba oil in an aromatherapy inhaler. Subject will take 3 sniffs of the inhaler four times daily (morning, noon, evening, bedtime) for 7 consecutive days during two chemotherapy cycles. One drop of jojoba oil is on the other three aromatherapy inhalers. Jojoba oil is a "carreir oil" for essential oils which will be used as a comparator and placebo in this study.

Cancer

Three sniffs of aromatherapy inhaler four times daily for seven days.

Ginger aromatherapy

Orange aromatherapy

Lavender aromatherapy

Jojoba aromatherapy

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

University of Rochester Medical Center, Wilmot Canter Center

Aromatherapy for Integrated Cancer Care

Aromatherapy: An Integrative Option for Symptom Management in Cancer Care

Retention rate will be determined by arm.

The compliance rate is the percentage of participants that report using the aromatherapy as described in protocol (i.e., at least three sniffs four times daily).

A composite symptom severity score will be calculated for each day during each Study Cycle. The mean composite symptom severity score will be the mean of all six composite severity scores for each cycle. We will use ANCOVA analyses to compare the maximum composite symptom severity scores and mean composite symptom severity scores between Study Cycle 3 vs Study Cycle 1 and Study Cycle 2 vs. Study Cycle 1.

The maximum composite symptom severity score will be the highest severity score across the 6 days for that cycle. The mean composite symptom severity score will be the mean of all six composite severity scores for each cycle. We will use ANCOVA analyses to compare the maximum composite symptom severity scores and mean composite symptom severity scores between Study Cycle 3 vs Study Cycle 1 and Study Cycle 2 vs. Study Cycle 1.

Julie Ryan Wolf

Associate Professor

University of Rochester

Patients receive usual postoperative care

Patients receive usual postoperative care and hand-foot massage

Gastrointestinal Cancer

Usual post-operative care concerning patients who underwent surgery because of gastrointestinal malignancy

Usual post-operative care

Hand-foot massage administered during 5 consecutive days postoperatively by trained volunteers, concerning patients who underwent surgery because of gastrointestinal malignancy

Hand-foot massage

COMplementary Hand-foot Massage to Improve Experience of illneSs Trial

To assess health-related quality of life, patients were asked to fill in the short generic EQ-5D-L3 questionnaire. Patients have to fill in those questionnaires at certain moments in time, from the day of surgery until the first visit at the policlinic after hospital's discharge. Patients are hospitalized about 1-2 weeks and their first policlinical visit after discharge is most often set at 1-2 weeks. That's why the time frame is estimated at 4 weeks.
This questionnaire comprises health-related quality of life questions, e.g. state of mobility, self-care, daily activities, mood and pain.

Anxiety and depression is measured by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patients have to fill in those questionnaires at certain moments in time, from the day of surgery until the first visit at the policlinic after hospital's discharge. Patients are hospitalized about 1-2 weeks and their first policlinical visit after discharge is most often set at 1-2 weeks. That's why the time frame is estimated at 4 weeks.

Patients are asked to fill in a questionnaire about the received hospital care and hand-foot massage (if applicable) at hospital's discharge. Patients have to fill in this questionnaires at hospital's discharge. Patients are hospitalized for 1-2 weeks, which means that the estimated time frime would be about 2 weeks (from day of surgery until date of discharge). That's why the time frame is estimated at 2 weeks.

Patients are asked to fill in a questionnaire about their opinion about receiving hand-foot massage at hospital's discharge, even if they themselves were not randomized in the intervention group. Patients have to fill in this questionnaires at hospital's discharge. Patients are hospitalized for 1-2 weeks, which means that the estimated time frime would be about 2 weeks (from day of surgery until date of discharge). That's why the time frame is estimated at 2 weeks.

M.J.M.T. Wolters

Dr. J.H.M.B. Stoot

Zuyderland Medisch Centrum

Subjects will use the aromatherapy inhalers through three chemotherapy treatment cycles (i.e., Study Cycle 1, Study Cycle 2, and Study Cycle 3). During each Study Cycle, subjects will start the aromatherapy inhaler on the day before the start of their chemotherapy treatment cycle (Day 0) and continue using the inhaler for the next six consecutive days (Day 1-Day 6), including the day he/she starts their chemotherapy treatment cycle. The subjects will remove the cover of the aromatherapy inhaler, place the aromatherapy inhaler under their nose and inhale three times with deep breathing (i.e., three sniffs). After use, the inhaler should be capped to minimize dispersal of the scent. Subjects will take 3 sniffs of the aromatherapy inhaler four times daily (morning, noon, evening, bedtime).

Chemotherapy Symptoms

The ginger oil (GIN-106) was steam distilled from fresh ginger grown in Madagascar. The ginger oil contains 64.23% sesquiterpenes, 18.5% monoterpenes, and 3.28% aldehydes. The aroma of ginger is described as spicy, sweet, and warm.

Ginger

The lavender oil (LAV-110) was steam distilled from lavender grown in Kashmir Valley in India. The lavender oil contains 53.22% esters, 31.86% monoterpenols, and 4.88% oxides. The aroma of lavender is described as floral, fresh, herbaceous, and sweet.

Lavender

The orange oil (ORG-114) was cold-pressed and steam distilled from oranges in South Africa. The orange oil contains 97.21% monoterpenes, 0.73% aldehydes, and 0.7% monoterpenols. The aroma of orange is described as citrus, fresh, fruity, and sweet.

Orange

The jojoba oil is certified organic and pesticide-free pure oil. Jojoba has a mild scent and can be used as a "fixative" for other essential oils.

Jojoba

Aromatherapy NAoH. Explore Aromatherapy: Safety Raleigh, NC2015

Aromatherapy for Chemotherapy-induced Symptoms

Aromatherapy for Management of Chemotherapy-induced Symptoms

Subjects will complete a self-report Symptom Inventory Diary during each Study Cycle starting at Day 0 and continuing to Day 6. Subjects will rate the severity of seven symptoms (nausea, vomiting, pain, anxiety/distress, sleep difficulties, fatigue, and lack of appetite) using a 0-10 numeric rating scale, with 10 indicating a higher severity, in daily diary format.

The following questions will be asked of the subjects to obtain qualitative feedback to further evaluate acceptability of the aromatherapy inhalers: 1) What two things did you like about your aromatherapy inhaler?; 2) What two things did subjects dislike about the aromatherapy inhaler?; 3) Was the aromatherapy inhaler easy to use?; 4) Did subjects feel that the aromatherapy inhaler reduced symptoms from chemotherapy? Please circle the symptoms that seemed to be helped the most.; 5) Would the subject use this aromatherapy inhaler again in the future?; 6) Would the subject recommend this aromatherapy inhaler to others?; 7) What word or statement would the subject use to describe their experience during this clinical trial?; and 8) What intervention arm do subjects think they were in? All of these data will help determine if the aromatherapy inhalers and scents are acceptable and feasible to use for in cancer subjects during chemotherapy.

simmondsia chinensis/nausea

Aromatherapy for Integrated Cancer Care

COMplementary Hand-foot Massage to Improve Experience of illneSs Trial

Aromatherapy for Chemotherapy-induced Symptoms

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