Panahi, Y., Saadat, A., Sahebkar, A., Hashemian, F., Taghikhani, M., & Abolhasani, E. (2012). Effect of ginger on acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: A pilot, randomized, open-label clinical trial. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 11, 204-211.

To evaluate the effects of ginger on acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in women being treated for breast cancer

Consecutive patients were alternatively assigned to the treatment or control group. Those in the treatment group were given 1.5 g ginger per day in addition to a standard antimetic regimen. The standard regimen consisted of graniestron plus dexamethasone. Treatment was given for four days.

• The study consisted of 78 patients.
• The mean age of patients was not reported.
• All of the patients were female.
• All of the patients had been diagnosed with  breast cancer; the majority were receiving docetaxel, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide.

The study was conducted at a single site in Iran.

All patients were in active antitumor treatment.

This was a randomized, open-label comparison.

The Rhodes index of nausea, vomiting, and retching was used to measure CINV.

The authors reported that patients in the treatment group had significantly less nausea in the first six hours of the study; however, no differences were found between groups at any other time point, and no differences were found between groups in terms of vomiting.

No significant differences were found between groups in CINV other than less nausea in the first six hours after chemotherapy with ginger.

• The sample size was small with fewer than 100 participants.
• A risk of bias exists because no blinding or random assignment was used.
• The measurement methods were not well described. The timing and exact use of CINV measurement was not described. 
• The randomization of group assignment was questionable.
• No demographic information was reported. Evaluation of demographic differences between the groups, which could have influenced CINV, was not included.
• The authors suggested that ginger had positive effects, despite the lack of major significant findings, suggesting study bias. 
• The study period was short.
• Patient experience with previous chemotherapy courses or prior CINV was not reported.

These findings did not provide strong support for the efficacy of ginger in the management or prevention of acute or delayed CINV in patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.