Effects of Aromatherapy on Quality Of Life and Pain In Patients With Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Cancer has become a chronic disease to which new therapeutic approaches are being applied and many patients are interested in the long-term consequences of these approaches. Aromatherapy is one approach that has been used as a safe and comfortable method to alleviate symptoms in patients with cancer, and its effects on various aspects of life have been reported.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to examine the effects of aromatherapy on quality of life (QoL) and pain in patients with cancer.

Using a comprehensive search strategy, 11 databases were searched from their inception to July 2023 for randomized controlled trials. In the meta-analysis, the standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval were calculated as effect measures by applying a random effects model.

Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Aromatherapy was found to have favorable effects in improving QoL (Hedges' ĝ = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.24-1.00), but no statistically significant effect of aromatherapy on pain was found (Hedges' ĝ = -0.46, 95% CI: -0.99 to 0.07).

The findings indicate statistically significant improvements in QoL when combining aromatherapy and massage, but it was not possible to disentangle the individual effects of each. Considering the characteristics of cancer patients, aromatherapy has beneficial effects as a non-pharmacological method. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of aromatherapy on symptom management, considering factors such as the duration of cancer development and type of cancer.