Study summary: The current study was designed to compare 4-week courses of aromatherapy massage and massage alone in 42 patients with advanced cancer. The patients were randomly assigned to receive weekly massages with inert oil mixed with lavender essential oil (aromatherapy group), inert oil only (massage group), or no intervention. The study used a Visual Analogue Scale of pain intensity, the Verran and Snyder-Halpern sleep scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, and the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist as outcome measures. There were no demonstrable significant long-term benefits of aromatherapy or massage in improving pain control, anxiety or quality of life. However, sleep scores improved significantly in both the massage group and the aromatherapy group. There also were reductions in depression scores in the massage group. The authors conclude that the addition of lavender essential oil did not appear to increase the beneficial effects of massage. Patients with high levels of psychological distress responded best to these therapies.