Summary of findings 2. Aromatherapy massage versus no massage for symptom relief in people with cancer.
| Aromatherapy massage versus no massage for symptom relief in people with cancer | ||||||
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Patient or population: people with cancer Settings: oncology unit, cancer centre, hospice Intervention: aromatherapy massage | ||||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) |
Relative effect (95% CI) |
No of participants (studies) |
Quality of the evidence (GRADE) |
Comments | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | |||||
| No massage | Aromatherapy massage | |||||
| Bodily pain (SF‐8) ‐ medium‐term (> 4 weeks to < 8 weeks) | The medium‐term mean bodily pain (SF‐8) in the control group was 44.4 points | The medium‐term mean bodily pain (SF‐8) in the intervention group was 5.30 higher (1.52 to 9.08 higher) |
Continuous data | 86 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ Very low1,3,4 | Higher score indicates less pain |
| Bodily pain (SF‐8) ‐ long‐term (≥ 8 weeks) | The long‐term mean bodily pain (SF‐8) in the control group was 45.4 points | The long‐term mean bodily pain (SF‐8) in the intervention group was 3.80 higher (0.19 to 7.41 higher) |
Continuous data | 86 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ Very low1,3,4 | Higher score indicates less pain |
| Anxiety (STAI‐state) | The mean anxiety (STAI‐state) ranged across control groups from 24.7 to 47.3 points | The mean anxiety (STAI‐state) in the intervention groups was 4.50 lower (7.70 to 1.30 lower) |
Continuous data | 253 (2 studies) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ Very low1,4 | Lower score indicates less severity in anxiety |
| Anxiety (STAI‐state) subgroup: short‐term vs. medium‐term ‐ short‐term (≤ 4 weeks) | The short‐term mean anxiety (STAI‐state) in the control groups was 24.7 points | The short‐term mean anxiety (STAI‐state) in the intervention groups was 1.1 lower (9.35 lower to 7.15 higher) |
Continuous data | 32 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ Very low1,3,4 | Not statistically significant |
| Anxiety (STAI‐state) subgroup: short‐term vs. medium‐term ‐ medium‐term (> 4 weeks to < 8 weeks) | The medium‐term mean anxiety (STAI‐state) in the control group was 47.3 points | The medium‐term mean anxiety (STAI‐state) in the intervention group was 5.1 lower (8.57 to 1.63 lower) |
Continuous data | 221 (1 study) | ⊕⊕⊕⊝ Moderate4 | Lower score indicates less severity in anxiety |
| Symptoms relating to the breast (EORTC QLQ‐BR23): long‐term (≥ 8 weeks) | The long‐term mean symptoms relating to the breast (EORTC QLQ‐BR23) in the control group was 31.9 points | The long‐term mean symptoms relating to the breast (EORTC QLQ‐BR23) in the intervention group was 9.80 lower (19.13 to 0.47 lower) |
Continuous data | 86 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ Very low1,3,4 | Lower scores indicate fewer symptoms |
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Quality of life (MYMOP): medium‐term (> 4 weeks to < 8 weeks) |
The medium‐term mean quality of life (MYMOP) in the control group was 3.9 points | The medium‐term mean quality of life (MYMOP) in the intervention group was 2.00 lower (3.46 to 0.54 lower) |
Continuous data | 29 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ Very low2,3,4 | Lower score indicates greater quality of life |
| * The assumed risk (e.g. the mean control group risk across studies) is provided. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group. CI: confidence interval; EORTC QLQ‐BR23: European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Breast Module; MYMOP: Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile; SF‐8: Short‐Form Health Survey‐8; STAI: State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory. | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate. | ||||||
1 Study with high risk of bias. 2 Only one trial, unknown heterogeneity. 3 Small study. 4 Only one or two trials, unknown publication bias (evident asymmetry).
Most except anxiety (four to eight weeks) downgraded by three levels due to very serious imprecision.