Non-pharmacological management for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer: a scoping review

Abstract Objective This review aimed to map and summarize published studies that tested non-pharmacological management for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Methods We searched for eligible studies in 5 electronic databases and screened the retrieved studies using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were then collated according to the types of interventions, measurement tool, and outcomes. Results The search yielded 2343 records, of which 11 were included. Four categories of non-pharmacological CINV management were made; manipulative and body-based therapy (n = 5 studies); mind–body therapy (n = 3 studies); biologically based practice (n = 1 study), and energy therapy (n = 2 studies). Seven different scales were used to measure CINV. Nine studies reported improvement in CINV. Conclusions This scoping review demonstrates the breadth of non-pharmacological management to address CINV. Various types of CINV scales were used to measure CINV severity. The management and scale can be utilized to improve nursing care, particularly in cancer care.