A randomised controlled pilot study was carried out to examine the effects of adjunctive aromatherapy massage on mood, quality of life and physical symptoms in patients with cancer attending a specialist unit. Participants were randomised to conventional day care alone or day care plus weekly aromatherapy massage using a standardised blend of oils for four weeks. At baseline and at weekly intervals, patients rated their mood, quality of life and the intensity and bother of two symptoms most important to them. Forty-six patients were recruited to the study. Due to a large number of withdrawals, only 11 of 23 (48%) patients in the aromatherapy group and 18 of 23 (78%) in the control group completed all four weeks. Mood, physical symptoms and quality of life improved in both groups. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in any of the outcome measures. Despite a lack of measurable benefit, all patients were satisfied with the aromatherapy and wished to continue. Whilst this pilot study has shown that a randomised controlled trial of complementary therapy is feasible, it has also identified several areas that would require further consideration when designing future studies, e.g., the recruitment and retention of appropriate numbers of patients and the outcome measures used.

Patients with lung cancer experience muscle wasting and weakness. Therapeutic exercise may be beneficial but is not always practical. An alternative approach may be neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of the quadriceps muscles, but this has not been formally examined in patients with cancer. Thus, we have undertaken this pilot study to assess feasibility and inform the design of future studies. Sixteen patients were randomized to receive usual care (control group) or usual care plus NMES for four weeks. NMES consisted of daily stimulation to both thighs for up to 30minutes (frequency 50Hz, "on" cycle 11%-25%). Adherence was assessed by a self-report diary and a semistructured evaluation form. Quadriceps muscle strength, exercise endurance, and free-living physical activity were assessed using a Cybex NORM dynamometer, an endurance shuttle walk test, and an ActivPAL accelerometer (mean daily step count), respectively. Changes in outcome from baseline were compared between groups by mean differences and their 95% confidence intervals using independent t-test (P=0.05). Median (range) adherence to the program was 80% (69%-100%). All patients found the NMES device easy to use. Changes in outcome favored the NMES group, with mean differences of 9.4 Nm (21%) in quadriceps muscle strength, 768 steps (15%) in free-living activity, and 138 m (8%) in exercise endurance, but none of the differences were statistically significant. In conclusion, NMES warrants further study in patients with lung cancer.

ABSTRACT

Breakthrough Pain In Patients with cancer is common, often unpredictable and can rapidly become severe. Its treatment with orally administered opioids may not be optimal due to the slow onset of pain relief. The parenteral route provides more rapid onset of pain relief but is not always an available, convenient or preferred option. Newer routes of analgesic administration have been or are being developed, such as transmucosal, nasal and inhaled, that aim to combine rapid onset of pain relief with convenience.1 Little is known regarding how acceptable patients view these different routes for the administration of analgesia for breakthrough pain. To begin to explore this we undertook this survey.

Late diagnosis meant that patients DFEA needed palliative support sooner after diagnosis than patients not DFEA. Professionals and lay people interpret health and illness experiences differently.