A Randomized Trial of The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy on Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Children With Cancer
Condition: Brain Tumors; Leukemia; Sarcomas; Neuroblastoma; Lymphoma; Hodgkins Disease
MeSH terms: Neuroblastoma; Hodgkin Disease; Vomiting
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Aromatherapy has anecdotally been reported to decrease nausea and vomiting, decrease anxiety
      and increase quality of life in cancer patients. Therefore, the proposed study aims to assess
      the effectiveness of aromatherapy versus placebo on nausea, vomiting, anxiety and quality of
      life among pediatric oncology patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Nausea and vomiting remain two of the most distressing symptoms to children being treated for
      cancer. Nausea and vomiting are directly associated with the administration of chemotherapy,
      due to effects of the chemotherapy on the gastrointestinal mucosa, and certain
      chemotherapeutic agents, such as cisplatin, are known to be particularly emetogenic. In
      addition, anticipatory anxiety has been identified as an important patient factor in the
      development of post-chemotherapy nausea and vomiting. Many drugs have been developed in an
      effort to diminish nausea and vomiting in children receiving emetogenic chemotherapy and
      these agents, particularly the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, have vastly reduced the amount
      of nausea and vomiting experienced in this population. However, approximately 50% of children
      and adolescents still suffer from nausea and/or vomiting even after maximal pharmacological
      intervention. This suggests that other interventions are needed to further reduce the
      experienced nausea and vomiting seen in children undergoing chemotherapy. As such, many
      patients and providers have turned to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the
      relief of nausea and vomiting. Aromatherapy is one such modality that has demonstrated some
      degree of effectiveness in adults suffering from nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy,
      motion sickness, or postoperatively.

      Aromatherapy is an inexpensive and easy therapy to administer to children, and many children
      can self administer aromatherapy depending on their age and the form of aromatherapy.
      Aromatherapy has anecdotally been reported to decrease nausea and vomiting, decrease anxiety
      and increase quality of life in cancer patients. Therefore, the proposed study aims to assess
      the effectiveness of aromatherapy versus placebo on nausea, vomiting, anxiety and quality of
      life among pediatric oncology patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapy.
    

Intervention name(s): Aromatherapy Scented Wand; Placebo wand
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): The aromatherapy used in this will be Quease Ease™, manufactured by Soothing Scents, Inc. Quease Ease is a blend of lavender, spearmint, ginger, and peppermint soaked into a pad placed within a "wand" dispenser that emits a fragrance when placed within a few inches of the nares. Participants will be given aromatherapy wand at the onset of their chemotherapy treatment. Participants will be instructed how to self-administer the aromatherapy treatment. Specifically, they can hold the wand under their nose and breathe in deeply five times when they feel symptoms of nausea or anxiety.; Placebo wands will look identical to the scented wands but will not contain a scent. Participants will be given the placebo wand at the onset of their chemotherapy treatment. Participants will be instructed how to self-administer the placebo treatment. Specifically, they can hold the wand under their nose and breathe in deeply five times when they feel symptoms of nausea or anxiety.
Other intervention name(s): Soothing Scents, Inc.; Quease Ease™; Aromatherapy
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Aromatherapy