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Description
Background: Cancer continues to have a profoundly detrimental impact on global health, and chemotherapy is widely accepted and utilized as one of the most effective cancer treatments. Unfortunately, the downside of chemotherapy is its significant adverse effects, which often manifest as gastrointestinal (GI) distress, leading the patient to discontinue treatment. Recent research has increasingly focused on bioactive foods as a means to mitigate chemotherapy-induced GI distress. By identifying which bioactive foods can alleviate these distresses, nurses can offer valuable recommendations to cancer patients to help them reduce chemotherapy's adverse effects, enhancing their quality of life (QoL) and improving treatment adherence. Objective: This study proposes an examination of the relationship between ginger (a bioactive food) and its effectiveness in reducing chemotherapy-induced GI distress, specifically focusing on the impact of ginger could have on chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID). Method: The researcher will conduct a randomized, intervention-controlled, and placebo-controlled trial with a double-blind cohort design, aiming at determining whether ginger reduces CID and improves CID-related QoL during cycles 2 and 3 of chemotherapy. Results: The data for this study are pending. However, the research anticipates that bioactive foods, particularly ginger, will alleviate CID and improve diarrhea-related QoL. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that bioactive foods may be effective in reducing or alleviating chemotherapy-induced GI distress. Understanding this relationship will empower nurses to provide recommendations to cancer patients, reducing adverse chemotherapy effects, improving the patient’s QoL, and promoting adherence to cancer treatment.
Department
Nursing
Faculty Mentor(s)
Kendra Hoepper DNP, APRN, PNP-BC
Publication Date
2025
Sponsorship/Conference/Institution
Scholarly Creative Works Conference, Dominican University of California
City
San Rafael, CA
Keywords
cancer, chemotherapy-induced side effects, chemotherapy-related GI distress, bioactive food, ginger
Disciplines
Interprofessional Education | Nursing | Oncology | Quality Improvement
Included in
Interprofessional Education Commons, Nursing Commons, Oncology Commons, Quality Improvement Commons