Effects of Aromatherapy on Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Cancer Patients

Background Numerous physical and psychological symptoms experienced by cancer patients seriously affect their normal lives. Many academics and medical professionals have attempted to use aromatherapy in this situation to help cancer patients manage their physical and emotional problems. Objective To systematically investigate the efficacy of aromatherapy on physical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed. Four electronic databases were searched. The review process followed a registered priori review protocol and was reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed in parallel. Results Twenty-six studies with 2912 subjects were included. Meta-analysis showed that aromatherapy significantly improved sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. We performed a subgroup analysis according to the different plant or animal aromatics contained in the oil, which found that lavender oil significantly reduced preoperative anxiety. In addition, aromatherapy massage was superior to inhaled aromatherapy in reducing anxiety. Moreover, cancer patients who used aromatherapy reduced the frequency of vomiting in 24 hours. Conclusions Aromatherapy is a useful treatment for improving sleep quality and reducing symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients, as well as the frequency of vomiting over 24 hours. Implications for Practice Healthcare providers can use aromatherapy to alleviate psychological and physical symptoms in cancer patients. The use of lavender oil and massage is recommended in clinical settings to improve anxiety symptoms in cancer patients.