Essential Oils for Cancer
Many will agree that there’s nothing more relaxing than the scent of lavender and nothing with more energy-boosting potential than bathing with citrus washes each morning; but what is it about these classic scents that make them powerful enough to improve our daily well-being?
The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health details the history and the growing body of research surrounding essential oils and their wide variety of uses within the field of complementary and alternative medicine. It turns out that these essential oils can make a world of difference in our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and some are even powerful enough to combat cancer.
Here, we’ll be focusing on one of the essential oils’ most powerful feats—their ability to be used as effective therapies for cancer patients.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are all-natural, extremely concentrated compounds extracted from plants, then combined with a carrier oil to yield an easy-to-use product. These essential oils can be likened to the “essence” of a plant, and they retain the natural scent and flavor of the plant from which they’re derived. Each essential oil is unique in its chemical makeup and properties.
A Note about Aromatherapy
Many professional resources developed to provide information about the use of essential oils for cancer therapy will mention aromatherapy, the practice of receiving health benefits from smelling the aromas of pure essential oils. However, essential oils may also impart their effects after being applied topically to the skin. The term “aromatherapy” may be used to encompass a broader use of essential oils.
The Role of Essential Oils in Cancer Therapy
Essential oils have the potential to fill two roles in the treatment of cancer:
- First, they may be able to directly control the symptoms of cancer including pain, anxiety, and decreased sleep quality. Many essential oils have also demonstrated their benefit as more direct cancer-fighting agents by selectively killing cancer cells or inhibiting tumor growth.
- Secondly, essential oils have the potential to reduce the negative side effects associated with cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Best Essential Oils for Cancer Patients
When it comes to cancer therapy, some essential oils have stood out head and shoulders above the rest. Some of the essential oils which have shown promise as effective treatments for cancer patients include:
Citrus
The lead actor in citrus essential oils is a compound called d-limonene, which may slow or cease tumor growth while also leading to the death of these cancer cells via a process called “apoptosis.”
Lavender
The quality of sleep in patients suffering from cancer is typically poor, but lavender essential oils have come to the rescue of some. Not only has lavender been investigated as an agent to improve sleep quality in cancer patients, but its anti-anxiety properties have also been observed in cancer patients during radiation treatment.
Lemongrass
In 2013, lemongrass was celebrated for its documented anticancer effects against cervical cancer cells. While this study wasn’t performed in human cancer patients, its results suggest that lemongrass may be an effective cancer treatment. This potential has also been confirmed in animal studies.
Peppermint
Peppermint and its cousin spearmint are frequently used as treatments for nausea, vomiting, and general abdominal discomfort associated with harsh cancer treatments like chemotherapy. Plus, compounds found in peppermint called “flavonoids” have antioxidant activity which may protect the body’s healthy cells from radiotherapy damage. Finally, while not yet studied thoroughly, it’s possible that peppermint has more direct anti-cancer fighting properties, too.
Ginger
Like peppermint, ginger is renowned for its ability to reduce the unpleasant sensation of nausea frequently caused by chemotherapy. One study demonstrated that the inhalation of ginger essential oils decreased this acute nausea while also improving overall health, functioning, and appetite levels.
Frankincense
As another popular essential oil derived from tree resin, frankincense has also strutted its stuff in a number of investigative studies. In addition to fighting inflammation, frankincense may have the ability to specifically target and attack cancer cells (unlike chemotherapy, which damages cells indiscriminately). Frankincense has proved its worth in both breast and bladder cancer.
On occasion, multiple essential oils have been mixed into a singular concoction and used successfully as an aromatherapy treatment. For example, skin ulcers in cancer patients have been treated with a combination of eucalyptus, lemongrass, clove, thyme, lemon, and melaleuca.
Looking to the Future
Despite promising results and a number of published studies on the role of essential oils in cancer therapy, medical researchers continue to look ahead toward larger studies involving more participants as they strive to uncover the mechanisms behind the utility of essential oils.
In the meantime, we encourage cancer patients to discuss with their healthcare providers how aromatherapy may help to relieve their cancer symptoms, improve their quality of life, and lessen severe side effects caused by chemotherapy.