Single and Combined Use of Benson Relaxation Technique and Oxygen Therapy on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND

Nausea and vomiting are the most common complications of chemotherapy encountered by cancer patients. To alleviate these complications and reduce patients' problems, it is necessary to use complementary methods.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of single and combined use of the Benson relaxation technique and oxygen therapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and retching in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

This is a single-blind, four-arm, 2 × 2 factorial-design randomized clinical trial, in which a total of 100 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled and assigned to four groups of relaxation therapy, oxygen therapy, combined therapy, and control (n = 25 in each group) using simple random allocation. The intervention program included the application of Benson relaxation technique, supplemental oxygen therapy, and a combination of both. The control group merely received routine care. Data were collected using the Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting Form 2 (INV-2).

RESULTS

The results of the Kruskal-Wallis H test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of nausea, vomiting, retching, and acute phase between the four groups (p = 0.001). However, there was a statistically significant difference only in the mean score of retching in this regard for the delayed phase (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the single use of Benson relaxation technique and the combined use of this technique and oxygen therapy were shown to be more effective in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.