Cancer is a major cause of death and disability worldwide and in South Asian countries.
Cancer treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and adjuvant
therapy (Additional treatments after primary cancer treatment such as surgery, radiation,
or chemotherapy are used to lower the chance of cancer recurrence or remove any remaining
cancer cells). Chemotherapy poses serious adverse effects, including fatigue, hair loss,
skin irritation, loss of appetite, change in bowel habits, weakened immune system, dry
mouth, peripheral neuropathy, nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and
vomiting cause fluid-electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, weight loss and physiological
consequences due to inadequate medication absorption or compromised kidney clearance.
Although anti-emetic drugs are given to reduce CINV but these drugs pose some serious
adverse effects including heartburn, insomnia, headache, dizziness,
constipation/diarrhea, loss of muscle control, pharyngeal itching, dry mouth and also
increases economic burden on the patient and his/her family. The limited and hazardous
side effects of these medications have led to a shift towards non-pharmacological and
home remedies. Using natural remedies is a simple and low-risk measure in this regard.
This study aims to evaluate the effects of peppermint oil inhalation on the intensity and
frequency of Chemotherapy induced acute nausea and vomiting among cancer patients
undergoing chemotherapy. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted using
non-probability convenience sampling, followed by random assignment to intervention and
control groups. The target population comprises patients receiving chemotherapy at the
outpatient oncology department of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. A total of 106 patients will
be enrolled. The intervention group will receive peppermint oil inhalation, while the
control group will receive a placebo. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage,
mean, and standard deviation) will be used to summarize participant's characteristics.
Chi-square test will be applied to compare demographic variables (e.g., age, gender,
marital status, education, occupation, and RINV categories) between groups. An
independent t-test will be used to compare the mean RINV scores post-intervention between
intervention and control group. A p-value of <0.05 will be considered statistically
significant. It is anticipated that peppermint oil inhalation will significantly reduce
the severity and frequency of Chemotherapy induced acute nausea and vomiting. If
effective, this complementary intervention could offer a low-cost, safe alternative to
supplement standard anti-emetic therapies, potentially easing the financial and
physiological burden associated with pharmacological treatments.