Aromathérapie en cancérologie

Abstract

Even with the progress made in standard treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, cancer still ranks as one of the top causes of illness and death around the globe. It greatly affects the quality of life for many patients. While these treatments can be effective, they often come with significant side effects. This situation has sparked increased interest in complementary therapies that focus on improving patients' overall well-being. Aromatherapy is one such complementary method used in cancer care. By using essential oils from fragrant plants, aromatherapy offers calming, pain-relieving, nausea-reducing, and anxiety-relieving benefits. This makes it a promising option for easing some of the side effects linked to cancer treatments and supporting patients’ quality of life. The aim of this thesis is to look into how aromatherapy impacts oncology through both a theoretical review and a practical study. The theoretical part gives an overview of cancer, including its history, how it develops, different types, and standard treatment methods. It also discusses the limitations of traditional therapies and emphasizes the need for supportive care. Following this, the thesis explores what aromatherapy is about, detailing the properties of essential oils often used in cancer treatment and their expected effects. In the practical section, a study involving healthcare professionals and patients assesses their knowledge about aromatherapy, how they use it, their opinions on it, and any results they have noticed related to its use in cancer care. The results show strong interest in this method; many people use essential oils to help relieve symptoms like pain, anxiety, nausea, and trouble sleeping. However, there is a lack of structured practices in this area which indicates a clear need for proper training, established protocols, and better teamwork among professionals. In summary, aromatherapy seems to be an effective complementary therapy for cancer care that could improve patients' well-being while lessening some negative effects caused by cancer treatments. However, to include it in care, we need to share information better, create clinical guidelines based on evidence, and encourage teamwork among different professionals.