The effect of an electric massage chair on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a common adverse event in cancer patients and can negatively affect their quality of life (QoL). This randomized phase II cross-over trial aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of an electric massage chair (EMC) for the treatment of CINV. It was conducted on solid cancer patients who received moderate (MEC) to high emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). The participants were randomly assigned to receive their first chemotherapy either on a standard bed (Group A) or in an EMC (Group B) during the infusion. The patients were then crossed over to the next cycle. CINV and QoL questionnaires were collected from the participants.

A total of 59 patients completed the trial protocol and were included in the analysis, with 29 and 30 patients in Groups A and B, respectively. The mean INVR (Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching) score in the 2nd day of the first cycle was higher in Group B (3.63 ± 5.35) than Group A (2.76 ± 4.78), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.5367). The complete response rate showed little difference between the groups. Among the high-emetic risk subgroups, patients who received HEC (p = 0.04595), younger patients (p = 0.0108), and non-colorectal cancer patients (p = 0.0495) presented significantly lower CINV scores when EMC was applied.

The authors concluded that there was no significant difference in INVR scores between standard care and EMC. Applying EMC at the first chemotherapy infusion may help preserve QoL and reduce CINV in high-risk patients.

Receiving chemotherapy for the first time is a very frightening event. In my view, everything should be done by the care team to make it less scary and as agreeable as possible. Patients might chose whether they prefere to lie down or sit, whether they have their own room or are treated in the company of others, with or without music, etc., etc. If an EMC is available, they should be able to try it and decide whether it suits them or not. If it does, I would not care a hoot whether EMC is a proven intervention or not, wether it is placebo or not, etc.

The main thing here is to make patients comfortable – and that, in my view, hardly needs a clinical trial.