Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of Inhalation Aromatherapy for Patients Undergoing Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT)
NCT ID: NCT07209501
Last Updated: 2025-12-22
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
NA
30 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2025-05-15
2026-06-24
Brief Summary
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* Can aromatherapy inhaler sticks be practically used by patients undergoing stem cell transplant (feasibility)?
* Do patients find aromatherapy inhaler sticks acceptable to use during their treatment?
* How effective are aromatherapy inhaler sticks at reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting?
* What are patients' experiences when using aromatherapy during stem cell transplant?
Researchers will compare patients using aromatherapy inhaler sticks with essential oils to patients using inhaler sticks with only jojoba oil (placebo) to see if the essential oils provide additional benefits for reducing nausea and vomiting.
Participants will:
* Use their assigned inhaler stick every four hours when awake and whenever they feel nauseous
* Hold the inhaler stick a finger's length from their nostrils and inhale through one nostril at a time
* Use the inhaler stick for no more than 5 minutes per session
* Begin using the inhaler on the day of chemotherapy and continue until five days after chemotherapy completion (total of six days)
* Receive standard care for nausea and vomiting alongside the inhaler stick
* Complete study journals to record their experiences This is a single-blinded study, meaning participants will not know whether they received the aromatherapy or placebo inhaler stick.
Detailed Description
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Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Control Group
Participants in the control group will receive the placebo intervention in addition to standard care. Participants will be provided with an identical aromatherapy inhaler stick infused solely with jojoba oil. Jojoba oil, primarily used as a carrier oil for dilution, has little to- no scent and no known therapeutic or anxiolytic effects when inhaled. This ensures that any potential benefits observed in the intervention group can be attributed to the active essential oil blends rather than the inhalation process itself.
Aromatherapy inhaler (placebo)
Participants in the control group will receive the placebo intervention in addition to standard care. They will be provided with an identical aromatherapy inhaler stick infused solely with jojoba oil. Jojoba oil, primarily used as a carrier oil for dilution, has littleto- no scent and no known therapeutic or anxiolytic effects when inhaled.
Intervention group
Participants in the intervention group will receive inhalation therapy via an aromatherapy inhaler stick\*, on top of standard care.
Participants will be instructed to use the inhaler stick every four hours when they are awake, and whenever they feel nauseous, by holding the inhaler stick a finger's length away from their nostrils and inhaling through one nostril at a time. Each administration should not last more than 5 minutes. Participants will commence using the inhaler stick on the day of chemotherapy, until five days after the completion of chemotherapy (a total of six days).
Aromatherapy inhaler
Participants in the intervention group will receive inhalation therapy via an aromatherapy inhaler stick\*, on top of standard care. Participants will be instructed to use the inhaler stick every four hours when they are awake, and whenever they feel nauseous, by holding the inhaler stick a finger's length away from their nostrils and inhaling through one nostril at a time. Each inhaler administration should not last more than 5 minutes. Participants will commence using the inhaler stick on the day of chemotherapy, until five days after the completion of chemotherapy (total of six days). Given the subjective nature of scents, participants in the intervention group will be given a choice between two therapeutic aroma blends - N1 and N2 - before commencing the study. This approach aims to minimize the risk of negative associations with a particular scent and enhance participant adherence to the intervention.
Interventions
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Aromatherapy inhaler
Participants in the intervention group will receive inhalation therapy via an aromatherapy inhaler stick\*, on top of standard care. Participants will be instructed to use the inhaler stick every four hours when they are awake, and whenever they feel nauseous, by holding the inhaler stick a finger's length away from their nostrils and inhaling through one nostril at a time. Each inhaler administration should not last more than 5 minutes. Participants will commence using the inhaler stick on the day of chemotherapy, until five days after the completion of chemotherapy (total of six days). Given the subjective nature of scents, participants in the intervention group will be given a choice between two therapeutic aroma blends - N1 and N2 - before commencing the study. This approach aims to minimize the risk of negative associations with a particular scent and enhance participant adherence to the intervention.
Aromatherapy inhaler (placebo)
Participants in the control group will receive the placebo intervention in addition to standard care. They will be provided with an identical aromatherapy inhaler stick infused solely with jojoba oil. Jojoba oil, primarily used as a carrier oil for dilution, has littleto- no scent and no known therapeutic or anxiolytic effects when inhaled.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* Able to provide informed consent
* Admitted for autologous stem cell transplant receiving melphalan conditioning chemotherapy regime
* Willing to have interviews audio-recorded
Exclusion Criteria
* Known sensitivity/ allergy to essential oils
* Any olfactory impairments (i.e. conditions that impair or alter sense of smell - for example, allergic rhinitis, chronic lung disease, blocked nose)
21 Years
99 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
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National Cancer Centre, Singapore
OTHER
Singapore General Hospital
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Principal Investigators
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Cheryl Tay, Bachelor of Nursing
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Singapore General Hospital
Locations
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Singapore General Hospital
Singapore, , Singapore
Countries
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Other Identifiers
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2024AMII-Aug03
Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT
Identifier Source: secondary_id
2024-3551
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id