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Gastrointestinal CancerNCT03858855

Inhaled Essential Oil Effect on Common QOL Concerns During Cancer Treatment

A study testing Aromatherapy and Essential Oils and Subject Diary in people with Gastrointestinal Cancer and Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial studies how well inhaled essential oils work for common quality of life concerns in patients who are undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or immunotherapy given through the vein (intravenously). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
Aromatherapy and Essential Oils and Subject Diary
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
248 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
18 Feb 2019to 13 Apr 2020
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Gastrointestinal cancers, neuroendocrine cancer, or melanoma or other skin cancers
  • Receiving chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or immunotherapy
  • Not naive to the treatment
  • Must be able to read and write English

Who cannot join

  • Allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemum, chamomile, ginger, bergamot, citrus fruits, tree nuts, perfumes
  • Asthma diagnosis
  • Patients receiving only octreotide injections
  • Patients receiving floxuridine (FUDR) via hepatic artery infusion (HAI) pump only

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Inhaled Essential Oil Effect on Common Quality of Life Concerns During Cancer Treatment

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial studies how well inhaled essential oils work for common quality of life concerns in patients who are undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or immunotherapy given through the vein (intravenously). Aromatherapy using essential oils, such as ginger essential oil, German chamomile essential oil, and bergamot essential oil, may improve quality of life issues such as nausea, anxiety, loss of appetite, and fatigue in patients undergoing treatment for cancer.

Read the detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

  1. To determine if aromatherapy, specifically inhaled essential oil, is beneficial for side effects related to cancer treatments involving chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or immunotherapy administered intravenously.

II. To describe the effect of inhaled ginger essential oil, German chamomile essential oil, and bergamot essential oil on nausea and anxiety of patients receiving chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or immunotherapy administered intravenously.

III. To describe the effect of decreased levels of nausea and/or anxiety on levels of appetite and/or fatigue.

IV. To evaluate the acceptability of using a personal inhalation bottle for inhalation of essential oils.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 groups.

GROUP I: Patients inhale 7 drops of bergamot essential oil using a personalized inhalation bottle three times daily (TID) (morning, midday, and evening) for up to 7 days. Patients also use a journal to document symptoms, time of inhalation, and medication use TID for up to 7 days.

GROUP II: Patients inhale 7 drops of chamomile essential oil and complete journal as in group I.

GROUP III: Patients inhale 7 drops of ginger essential oil and complete journal as in group I.

GROUP IV (CONTROL): Patients inhale 7 drops of almond essential oil and complete journal as in group I.

Being tested
Aromatherapy and Essential Oils, Subject Diary
Keywords
aromatherapy, essential oils, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Neuroendocrine Cancer, Melanoma, skin cancer
Medical subject headings
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms, Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine, Skin Neoplasms, Melanoma

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Aromatherapy and Essential OilsProcedure or surgery

    Also called Aromatherapy

    Use bergamot essential oil

  • Aromatherapy and Essential OilsProcedure or surgery

    Also called Aromatherapy

    Use chamomile essential oil

  • Aromatherapy and Essential OilsProcedure or surgery

    Also called Aromatherapy

    Use ginger essential oil

  • Aromatherapy and Essential OilsProcedure or surgery

    Also called Aromatherapy

    Use almond essential oil

  • Subject DiaryOther

    Also called Patient Diary, Subj Diary Form, Subject Diary Form

    Complete journal

Study groups in NCT03858855
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Group I (bergamot essential oil)ExperimentalPatients inhale 7 drops of bergamot essential oil using an essential oil administration bottle TID (morning, midday, and evening) for up to 7 days. Patients also use a journal to document symptoms, time of inhalation, and medication use TID for up to 7 days.
Receives: Procedure: Aromatherapy and Essential Oils; Other: Subject Diary
Group II (chamomile essential oil)ExperimentalPatients inhale 7 drops of chamomile essential oil and complete journal as in group I.
Receives: Procedure: Aromatherapy and Essential Oils; Other: Subject Diary
Group III (ginger essential oil)ExperimentalPatients inhale 7 drops of ginger essential oil and complete journal as in group I.
Receives: Procedure: Aromatherapy and Essential Oils; Other: Subject Diary
Group IV (almond essential oil)Active comparatorPatients inhale 7 drops of almond essential oil and complete journal as in group I.
Receives: Procedure: Aromatherapy and Essential Oils; Other: Subject Diary

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Effects of essential oils on nausea and anxiety

    Levels of nausea and anxiety will be measured using a numerical grading scale of 0-10. 0 will equal "good" meaning no nausea or anxiety. 10 will equal "horrible" meaning the worst nausea or anxiety. Data for each outcome will be collected 3 times a day, for a total of 21 measurements from each subject. For data analysis, we will compress the 21 measures into 3 scores. Each subject will be given a daily outcome level by averaging the 3 measures. The 7 daily outcome levels will become 3 scores by averaging data from days 1 and 2 (Period 1), days 3 and 4 (Period 2), and days 5, 6, and 7 (Period 3). Using the 3 scores, each outcome will be modeled using a repeated measures regression allowing the variability of outcome scores to vary with period. Period, group membership, the interaction between period and group membership, gender, age, and type of cancer will be model predictors. For each outcome, the contrast of interest will be that between each treatment group and the control group.

    Measured: Up to 7 days

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Determine if decreased levels of nausea and/or anxiety effect appetite and/or fatigue

    Anticipated results of the study are that patients will report decreased levels of nausea and anxiety. With the decreased levels of nausea and anxiety, we anticipate that patients will report increased levels of appetite and decreased levels of fatigue. Loss of appetite and fatigue will be measured using a numerical grading scale of 0-10. 0 will equal "good" meaning no loss of appetite or fatigue. 10 will equal "horrible" meaning the worst appetite loss or fatigue. Data will be collected, measured, and analyzed in the same manner as Outcome 1.

    Measured: Up to 7 days

  2. Acceptability of using a personal inhalation bottle for inhalation of essential oils - ease of use

    The overall ease of using the personal inhalation bottle will be measured through post-study ratings by participants. A numerical rating scale of 1-5 will be used. 1 will equal strongly disagree; 2 will equal disagree; 3 will equal neither agree nor disagree; 4 will equal agree; and 5 will equal strongly agree. The study will compare via a percentage those participants with positive acceptability when compared to those with negative acceptability.

    Measured: Up to 7 days

  3. Acceptability of using a personal inhalation bottle for inhalation of essential oils - utilization post study period

    The utilization of the personal inhalation bottle beyond the study period will be measured through post-study ratings by participants. A numerical rating scale of 1-5 will be used. 1 will equal strongly disagree; 2 will equal disagree; 3 will equal neither agree nor disagree; 4 will equal agree; and 5 will equal strongly agree. The study will compare via a percentage those participants with positive acceptability when compared to those with negative acceptability.

    Measured: Up to 7 days

  4. Acceptability of using a personal inhalation bottle for inhalation of essential oils - perception of benefit of essential oil for symptoms

    The overall perception of help for symptoms will be measured through post-study ratings by participants. A numerical rating scale of 1-5 will be used. 1 will equal strongly disagree; 2 will equal disagree; 3 will equal neither agree nor disagree; 4 will equal agree; and 5 will equal strongly agree. The study will compare via a percentage those participants with positive acceptability when compared to those with negative acceptability.

    Measured: Up to 7 days

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Mar 2019
  2. Study start18 Feb 2019
  3. Primary completion13 Apr 2020
  4. Study completion13 Apr 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
248 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03858855
Sponsor's protocol ID
OSU-18136
Other IDs
NCI-2019-00340
Status last verified
Jul 2020
First submitted
27 Feb 2019
Last updated
4 Aug 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Aromatherapy and Essential Oils and Subject Diary in people with Gastrointestinal Cancer and Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, run by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Aug 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Effects of essential oils on nausea and anxiety (time frame: Up to 7 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Aug 2020.

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