Biomedical Research

Introduction: Skin reactions are common side effects of radiotherapy in breast cancer patients. This work investigates the efficacy of essential oils using the example of Niaöl© compared to standard care and no skin care. The aim is to examine whether Niaöl© influences skin reactions and the quality of life of patients and can be considered as an alternative to standard care.

Methodology: The retrospective study included 223 breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, who were divided into three groups: no skin care (n=91), standard care (n=80), and Niaöl© (n=52). Parameters such as skin reactions (erythema, itching, dryness) and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire) were recorded. These were analyzed for significant differences between the groups.

Results: The analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the Niaöl© and the standard care groups in terms of most skin reactions. Both groups performed better than the group without care. Niaöl© showed significant improvements in dryness and pain as well as in work ability compared to the group without care.

Discussion: The results suggest that Niaöl© could be an effective alternative to standard care. The use of Niaöl© had a positive effect on the skin dryness and pain sensation of the patients, leading to an improvement in their quality of life.

Conclusion: The study confirms that Niaöl© has no adverse effects compared to standard care and may even offer benefits in certain aspects such as pain reduction. Further studies with larger groups of subjects and different study designs are needed to fully assess the efficacy of Niaöl© and to evaluate a possible superiority over standard care.

Author(s):

Fritsch H, Jennes M, Warm M, Haas-Rabfeld B, Multhaupt S, Eichler C

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