Effects of Plant-Derived Active Substances on Quality of Life and Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Patients Receiving Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Objectives The objective of this trial was to assess the effectiveness of BEO (Cinnamomum camphora var. borneol essential oil) in reducing the intensity of CINV and enhancing QoL in cancer patients treated with cisplatin-based protocols. Methods A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was conducted involving patients scheduled to receive at least two cycles of high-dose cisplatin chemotherapy (> 50 mg/m²). Five minutes prior to the initiation of each chemotherapy session, three drops of the essential oil were applied to a sterile gauze pad (5 cm × 5 cm), which was secured to the patient's collar at a distance of approximately 20 cm from the nose to facilitate continuous inhalation throughout the treatment. CINV was assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v5.0) and the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE). Results Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the acute period, the two groups showed no significant disparity in nausea or vomiting severity (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, during the delayed phase, the intervention group demonstrated a significantly lower severity of vomiting relative to the control group (P < 0.05), and a borderline reduction in nausea severity was also observed (P = 0.053). FLIE scores indicated significantly better outcomes in the intervention group at both 24 hours and 24–120 hours post-chemotherapy (P < 0.001). Conclusions Aromatherapy, employed as a complementary intervention, proves beneficial in alleviating delayed emesis and enhancing QoL for patients on chemotherapy. The current findings provide a rationale for integrating aromatherapy into standard practice as a supportive antiemetic modality.