“Anybody who has ovarian cancer or has a family member or loved one with ovarian cancer learns that it can be a devastating disease, not only because of the symptoms of the disease itself but also the therapies used to treat it,” says Robert DeBernardo, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “Surgery, chemo, and radiation can all have significant short- and long-term consequences and side effects.” Aromatherapy or massage with essential oils and other complementary therapies are part of what Dr. DeBernardo calls a “global approach” to patient care. “We’re not just treating the illness when people have cancer growing out of control,” he says. “We want to treat the whole individual, and their mental and physical well-being are really part of that.” Essential oils can be a great addition to a wellness plan, says Danica Arizola, a licensed massage therapist who uses essential oils with cancer patients at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. “I’ve found it improves their overall quality of well-being — it can uplift mood, calm anxiety, help promote sleep for people who have trouble sleeping, as well as reduce the queasiness many people experience from chemo meds,” she says. RELATED: All You Need to Know About Essential Oils and Cancer
Essential Oils Can Help Ovarian Cancer Patients Relax
Arizola uses blends of different essential oils on many of her clients with ovarian cancer. For cancer patients who are getting a chemo infusion, she most often uses a combination that contains lavender, ylang-ylang, coriander, and palmarosa. “I always ask if people have allergies and let them smell the scent before I begin therapy,” she says. If the scent is agreeable to the client, she puts a few drops of oil directly on her hands before starting. “They can smell the essential oils while I massage their head, neck, and shoulders; it helps people feel calmer and sometimes they even fall asleep,” she adds. To spread the scent throughout a room, she might use a diffuser or put a few drops of oil on a cotton ball. RELATED: Does Stress Play a Role in Cancer?
Essential Oils Can Counter Anxiety and Depression
It is very common for women with ovarian cancer to have anxiety and depression, says DeBernardo. Not only does this negatively impact quality of life, it puts them at an increased risk of dying earlier and being hospitalized, according to a review published in the journal BMJ Open in May 2015. “We do have conventional medications to address those comorbidities, but they can fall short at times,” says DeBernardo. Incorporating complementary therapies can help in some cases, he adds. A review published in January 2017 in Evidence-Based Complementary Medicine found that aromatherapy could be beneficial in treating symptoms of depression, especially when used in massage therapy. “I’ve seen essential oils reduce anxiety and stress,” says Arizola. Lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang are all used to help promote a feeling of calm, she says. RELATED: 8 Complementary Therapies to Add to Your Chemo Treatment
Essential Oils Can Alleviate Side Effects of Some Ovarian Cancer Treatments
“I’ve found that in my clients with cancer, essential oils can help with their overall well-being. They are a great addition to your wellness plan that you have with your doctor,” says Arizola. Many of those plans include frankincense at the top of the list, often considered the gold standard of essential oils for people with cancer, according to Arizola. “It can be very powerful and promote healing,” she says. For women experiencing digestive issues as a result of treatments and medicines, ginger, peppermint, and chamomile can help with nausea and upset stomach, she adds.
Essential Oils Should Complement, Not Replace, Conventional Treatment
“Essential oils aren’t likely to be harmful in any way, and if they help people psychologically or with any of the physical symptoms, I’m supportive of that, and I think most oncologists would be,” says DeBernardo. “I do think it’s a problem when therapies like essential oils or other nonconventional medical therapies are used exclusively to treat a disease, especially when we know that we have conventional therapies that have been proven to work.” Essential oils can be a nice adjunct but not a primary treatment for cancer, adds DeBernardo. Women who are considering using essential oils while being treated for ovarian cancer should discuss it with their doctor first, says DeBernardo. “At times people are going to be more susceptible to infection — for example, when they’re getting chemo — so there are things we would ask them not to do and certain precautions they should take. In general, I think essential oils are very safe, but it would be reasonable to discuss plans with your healthcare team first,” he says. One additional warning: Even if the label says that an essential oil is safe to ingest, never do so because many can be poisonous, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.
