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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
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Acupoint Application Combined with Acupressure as an Adjunctive Therapy for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
Published on: June 21, 2024
Patient expectancy and post-chemotherapy nausea: a meta-analysis
Ben Colagiuri1, Robert Zachariae
1School of Psychology, A18, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. benc@psych.usyd.edu.au
Summary
Patient expectations significantly influence chemotherapy-induced nausea. Higher expectations of nausea correlate with experiencing more nausea, suggesting potential for expectancy-based interventions in cancer care.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychology
- Evidence-based Medicine
Background:
- Post-chemotherapy nausea is a major challenge for cancer patients.
- The link between expecting nausea and experiencing it is debated, with conflicting research findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform a meta-analytic review.
- To quantify the relationship between patient expectancy and post-chemotherapy nausea.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of Medline, PsycInfo, and Cinhal.
- Meta-analysis of data from 17 studies, including 2,400 patients.
Main Results:
- A significant positive association was found between expectancy and chemotherapy-induced nausea (ESr = 0.18).
- Patients with stronger nausea expectancies reported experiencing more nausea.
- No statistically significant moderation by study design or patient group (e.g., breast cancer) was observed.
Conclusions:
- Patient expectancies appear to contribute to the occurrence of post-chemotherapy nausea.
- Interventions targeting patient expectancies could be a valuable strategy for managing chemotherapy-induced nausea.
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