Side Effects: Anemia

Science.gov (United States)

Anemia is a side effect of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It can make women and men feel fatigued, dizzy, and short of breath. Learn how to manage fatigue caused by anemia during cancer treatment.

Early and Late Side Effects Associated with Photo(chemotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Günseli Öztürk

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Phototherapy (PUVA ve UVB is a widely used and effective treatment method for a variety of dermatological diseases. Adverse effects associated with phototherapy can be classified as acute and chronic side effects. Acute side effects are mostly related with UV doses and drug intolerance, and include itching, nausea, erythema, edema and phototoxic reactions that sometimes blister formation is seen. Acute side effects are usually moderate and transient. Chronic side effects of phototherapy are early aging of skin, pigmentary changes and increased risk of skin carcinogenesis. The major concern is development of skin cancer. This risk is especially related to long-term exposure and high cumulative doses of PUVA, increase in time and is persistent. Therefore, risk/advantage ratio of phototherapy should be carefully evaluated in each patient, and treatment protocols with minimal UV exposure should be chosen according to the phototherapy guides. Follow-up of the patients for long terms is important in prevention or in reduction of this risk by detecting and treating any premalignant or malignant lesion early. In this article, acute and chronic side effects of phototherapy are reviewed with recent literature findings.

Side Effects: Hair Loss (Alopecia)

Science.gov (United States)

Hair loss, also called alopecia, is a side effect of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Learn how to cope with and manage hair loss. Listen to tips from others who have experienced hair loss.

Impact of an early education multimedia intervention in managing nutrition-related chemotherapy side effects: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Julie; Silliman, Kathryn; Clifford, Dawn E

2013-12-01

The purpose of the educational intervention was to measure changes in knowledge, perceived benefit of nutrition, and perceived self efficacy in handling side effects of chemotherapy before and after viewing a 15 minute DVD among patients with cancer. A convenience sample of 14 (4 male, 10 female, 61 ± 9 years) patients with cancer, early to chemotherapy, participated in the study. Participants completed a survey with demographic, knowledge items, and perceived health belief and self efficacy statements; viewed the DVD; and were then sent home with a one page handout. Two weeks after the nutrition education intervention, a second survey was completed including an item about tips used. Change was measured using paired t-test and wilcoxon signed rank tests. The mean score on the four knowledge items significantly increased (p informative and most (n = 11, 79%) responded that it was useful. The majority reported (n = 10, 71%) a tip they used from the DVD. This short multimedia nutrition education intervention was found primarily to increase knowledge and could form a useful component of counseling services for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Patients' perception of chemotherapy side effects: Expectations, doctor-patient communication and impact on quality of life - An Italian survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorusso, Domenica; Bria, Emilio; Costantini, Anna; Di Maio, Massimo; Rosti, Giovanni; Mancuso, Annamaria

2017-03-01

Chemotherapy side effects (CSE) have a strong impact on patients' quality of life (QOL). To assess patient perceptions of CSE, their impact on QOL and doctor-patient communication regarding these aspects, a survey was conducted among Italian cancer patients. Patients at least 18 years of age, who received chemotherapy, were administered a dedicated questionnaire to assess their point of view on five domains: expectations about CSE and impact on QOL; doctor-patient communication about CSE; treatments to reduce the impact of CSE; sexual life; family relationships/activities and employment. A total of 761 patients participated. CSE had a considerable impact on patient QOL. Nausea/vomiting was the most feared adverse effect before initiating chemotherapy and the one most commonly experienced during treatment. Patients generally reported good doctor-patient communication regarding information about CSE. In almost all cases, the oncologists prescribed an antiemetic treatment, but the incidence of nausea/vomiting was high. Cancer and CSE severely affected sexual life, daily activities and employment. CSE had a strong negative impact on QOL. Good doctor-patient communication is essential. Improving antiemetic strategies may improve QOL. Doctors' ability to inform patients about delicate issues, such as the impact of CSE on sexual life, needs to be improved. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Types of chemotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000910.htm Types of chemotherapy To use the sharing features on this page, ... cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/chemotherapy/how-chemotherapy-drugs-work.html . Updated February 15, ...

Chemotherapy disruption of efficient radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nervi, C.; Friedman, M.

1974-01-01

Studies on the use of chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy are reviewed. Some topics discussed are: indications for the use of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy; improvement of the therapeutic ratio following the use of methotrexate; advantages of preirradiation and postirradiation chemotherapy; side effects following simultaneous chemotherapy and radiotherapy; and effects of chemotherapy on cure rate of radiosensitive and radioresistant tumors. (U.S.)

Effectiveness of gabapentin pharmacotherapy in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnowska, Magdalena; Iżycka, Natalia; Kapoła-Czyż, Joanna; Romała, Anna; Lorek, Jakub; Spaczyński, Marek; Nowak-Markwitz, Ewa

2018-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common chemotherapy side effect, but its prevention and treatment remains a challenge. Neurotoxicity may lead to dose limitation or even treatment discontinuation, and therefore potentially affect the efficacy of anticancer treatment and long term outcomes. The practice to administer gabapentin for neuropathy may be applicable, but is limited by insufficient studies. The aim of our study was to assess the presence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in ovarian cancer patients treated with first-line paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy and evaluate the effectiveness of gabapentin in treatment of this condition. 61 ovarian cancer patients treated with first line chemotherapy were included in the study. The first phase of the study was to assess neurological condition of each patient by: neuropathy symptoms scale, McGill's scale, neurological deficit and quality of life, during the chemotherapy. In the second phase of the study we evaluated the response to gabapentin treatment in a group of patients who developed neuropathy. 78.7% of the patients developed chemotherapy related neuropathy. During the course of chemotherapy these patients experienced significant exacerbation of neuropathy symptoms (p peripheral neuropathy.

Prognostic and predictive value of primary tumour side in patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy and EGFR directed antibodies in six randomized trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, D; Lueza, B; Douillard, J-Y; Peeters, M; Lenz, H-J; Venook, A; Heinemann, V; Van Cutsem, E; Pignon, J-P; Tabernero, J; Cervantes, A; Ciardiello, F

2017-08-01

There is increasing evidence that metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a genetically heterogeneous disease and that tumours arising from different sides of the colon (left versus right) have different clinical outcomes. Furthermore, previous analyses comparing the activity of different classes of targeted agents in patients with KRAS wild-type (wt) or RAS wt mCRC suggest that primary tumour location (side), might be both prognostic and predictive for clinical outcome. This retrospective analysis investigated the prognostic and predictive influence of the localization of the primary tumour in patients with unresectable RAS wt mCRC included in six randomized trials (CRYSTAL, FIRE-3, CALGB 80405, PRIME, PEAK and 20050181), comparing chemotherapy plus EGFR antibody therapy (experimental arm) with chemotherapy or chemotherapy and bevacizumab (control arms). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for patients with left-sided versus right-sided tumours, and odds ratios (ORs) for objective response rate (ORR) were estimated by pooling individual study HRs/ORs. The predictive value was evaluated by pooling study interaction between treatment effect and tumour side. Primary tumour location and RAS mutation status were available for 2159 of the 5760 patients (37.5%) randomized across the 6 trials, 515 right-sided and 1644 left-sided. A significantly worse prognosis was observed for patients with right-sided tumours compared with those with left-sided tumours in both the pooled control and experimental arms for OS [HRs = 2.03 (95% CI: 1.69-2.42) and 1.38 (1.17-1.63), respectively], PFS [HRs = 1.59 (1.34-1.88) and 1.25 (1.06-1.47)], and ORR [ORs = 0.38 (0.28-0.50) and 0.56 (0.43-0.73)]. In terms of a predictive effect, a significant benefit for chemotherapy plus EGFR antibody therapy was observed in patients with left-sided tumours [HRs = 0.75 (0.67-0.84) and 0.78 (0.70-0.87) for OS

Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Learn how chemotherapy works against cancer, why it causes side effects, and how it is used with other cancer treatments.

The effects of Reiki therapy and companionship on quality of life, mood, and symptom distress during chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Orsak, Gabriela; Stevens, Arlene M; Brufsky, Adam; Kajumba, Mayanja; Dougall, Angela Liegey

2015-01-01

This pilot study examined the effects of Reiki therapy and companionship on improvements in quality of life, mood, and symptom distress during chemotherapy. Thirty-six breast cancer patients received usual care, Reiki, or a companion during chemotherapy. First, data were collected from patients receiving usual care. Second, patients were randomized to either receive Reiki or a companion during chemotherapy. Questionnaires assessing quality of life, mood, symptom distress, and Reiki acceptability were completed at baseline and chemotherapy sessions 1, 2, and 4. Reiki was rated relaxing with no side effects. Reiki and companion groups reported improvements in quality of life and mood that were greater than those seen in the usual care group. Interventions during chemotherapy, such as Reiki or companionship, are feasible, acceptable, and may reduce side effects. © The Author(s) 2014.

Sensitizing Effects of Pretreatment Measures on Cancer Chemotherapy Nausea and Vomiting.

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Gard, Diane; And Others

1988-01-01

Explored sensitizing effects of pretreatment assessment on posttreatment chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and interactive effects of personal dispositions for information seeking. Oncology patients rated side effects experienced previously (experimental condition), or parking conditions (control). Posttreatment, nausea of experimentals was…

[Effectiveness of scalp cooling in chemotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Poder, Thomas G; He, Jie; Lemieux, Renald

2011-10-01

The main objectives of this literature review are to determine if scalp cooling is efficient and safe, if there are side effects and if the patients' quality of life improves. In terms of effectiveness, scalp cooling seems to get good performance in its aim to prevent hair loss in patients receiving chemotherapy. The weighted average results of all identified studies indicate that this technology allows for 63.5% of patients to have a good preservation of their hair. In studies with a group of control, the weighted rates of good preservation of the hair are 50.6% with scalp cooling and 16.3% without. From the standpoint of safety technology, the main risk is that of scalp metastases. However, no study has successfully demonstrated a statistically significant difference between groups of patients receiving chemotherapy with or without scalp cooling.

[Supportive care during chemotherapy for lung cancer in daily practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Veronika; Tamási, Lilla; Gálffy, Gabriella; Losonczy, György

2012-09-01

Active oncotherapy, combination chemotherapy of lung cancer is accompanied with many side effects which may impair patients' quality of life and compromise the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Most side effects of chemotherapy are preventable or treatable with optimal supportive care which enhances success in patient care and treatment. The aim of this review is to summarize the most important conditions that may be associated with combined chemotherapy of lung cancer from the practical point of view.

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor priming chemotherapy is more effective than standard chemotherapy as salvage therapy in relapsed acute myeloid leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ying; He, Aili; Wang, Fangxia; Bai, Ju; Wang, Jianli; Zhao, Wanhong; Zhang, Wanggang; Cao, Xingmei; Chen, Yinxia; Liu, Jie; Ma, Xiaorong; Chen, Hongli; Feng, Yuandong; Yang, Yun

2017-12-29

To improve the complete remission (CR) rate of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and alleviate the severe side effects of double induction chemotherapy, we combined a standard regimen with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) priming chemotherapy to compose a new double induction regimen for AML patients who failed to achieve CR after the first course. Ninety-seven patients with AML who did not achieve CR after the first course of standard chemotherapy were enrolled. Among them, 45 patients received G-CSF priming combined with low-dose chemotherapy during days 20-22 of the first course of chemotherapy, serving as priming group, 52 patients were administered standard chemotherapy again, serving as control group. Between the two groups there were no differences in the French-American-British (FAB) classification, risk status, the first course of chemotherapy, blood cell count or blasts percentage of bone marrow before the second course. But the CR rate was significantly higher and the adverse effect was much lower in the priming group than the control group. Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that WBC level before the second course and the selection of the second chemotherapy regimen were two independent factors for long survival of patients. These results elucidate that standard chemotherapy followed by G-CSF priming new double induction chemotherapy is an effective method for AML patients to improve CR rate and reduce adverse effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Effects of pamidronate disodium (Bonin) combined with chemotherapy on bone pain in multiple myeloma].

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Yun; Chen, Shi-lun; Shi, Hong-zhi

2002-10-01

Objective. To evaluate the therapeutic effects of Disodium Pamidronate (Bonin) on bone pain in multiple myeloma. Method. 18 patients received only chemotherapy and 16 patients with addition of Bonin were compared. Result. The bone pain was significantly relieved both in chemotherapy alone group and in the combination group of Bonin with chemotherapy after treatment (P<0.01, as compared with before therapy). However, the effects of combination group were more dramatical than that of the other group (P<0.05). No obvious side-effects were observed except mild fever in one patient in the combination group. Conclusion. Bonin, as a safe and effective Bisphosphonates preparation, could relieve bone pain in multiple myeloma more effectively when combined with chemotherapy.

Effect of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Perfusion Chemotherapy in Combination with Intravenous Chemotherapy as Postoperative Adjuvant Therapy for Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhibing; Ma, Shenglin; Jing, Saisai; Deng, Qinghua; Zheng, Zhishuang; Wu, Kan; Li, Juan; Chen, Sumei; Tang, Rongjun; Li, Xiadong

2014-06-01

The aim is to evaluate the preliminary efficacy and side effects of paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin intravenous chemotherapy in combination with cisplatin hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy (HIPEC) as postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients of locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) at high risk for recurrence after curative resection. Four GC patients who underwent radical gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy were enrolled. All patients received paclitaxel 135 mg/m2 on day 1, 5-FU 500 mg/m2 on days 1-5, LV 200 mg/m2 on days 1-5 intravenous chemotherapy, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 on day 5, and HIPEC one month after surgery. It was repeated at 3 weeks intervals and at least two cycles administered. A total of 181 cycles of chemotherapy were administered (median, 4 cycles). The median disease free survival time of patients was 40.8 months. The median overall survival time was 48.0 months. The one-, two-, and three-year recurrence rates were 14.6%, 26.8%, and 46.3%, respectively. The main relapse patterns were remnant GC and metastases of retroperitoneal lymph nodes. The morbidity of grade 3 and 4 toxicities of myelosuppression, nausea/ vomiting were less than 10%. The side effects of grade 1 and 2 of hematologic toxicity, nausea and vomiting, abnormal function of liver, kidney or cardiac, fatigue and neurotoxicity were well tolerated. Cisplatin HIPEC combined with paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin intravenous chemotherapy regimen could improve the survival rate and decrease the postoperative recurrence of locally advanced GC.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of scalp cooling to reduce chemotherapy-induced alopecia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Hurk, C.J.; van den Akker-van Marle, E.M.; Breed, W.P.M.; van de Poll-Franse, L.V.; Nortier, J.; Coebergh, J.W.W.

2014-01-01

Background. Alopecia is a frequently occurring side effect of chemotherapy that often can be prevented by cooling the scalp during the infusion. This study compared effects and costs of scalp cooling with usual general oncological care, i.e. purchasing a wig or head cover. Material and methods.

Immunological Effects of Conventional Chemotherapy and Targeted Anticancer Agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Galluzzi, Lorenzo; Buqué, Aitziber; Kepp, Oliver; Zitvogel, Laurence; Kroemer, Guido

2015-12-14

The tremendous clinical success of checkpoint blockers illustrates the potential of reestablishing latent immunosurveillance for cancer therapy. Although largely neglected in the clinical practice, accumulating evidence indicates that the efficacy of conventional and targeted anticancer agents does not only involve direct cytostatic/cytotoxic effects, but also relies on the (re)activation of tumor-targeting immune responses. Chemotherapy can promote such responses by increasing the immunogenicity of malignant cells, or by inhibiting immunosuppressive circuitries that are established by developing neoplasms. These immunological "side" effects of chemotherapy are desirable, and their in-depth comprehension will facilitate the design of novel combinatorial regimens with improved clinical efficacy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The Effectiveness of Cooling Packaging Care in Relieving Chemotherapy-Induced Skin Toxicity Reactions in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review].

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Ya-Hui; Hung, Hsing-Wei; Chen, Shu-Ching

2017-08-01

Anti-cancer chemotherapy may cause skin-toxicity reactions. Different types of cooling packages affect chemotherapy-induced skin toxicity reactions differently. To evaluate the effects of cooling packing care on chemotherapy-induced skin toxicity reactions in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A systematic review approach was used. Searches were conducted in databases including Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed and Airiti Library using the keywords "chemotherapy cutaneous toxicity", "chemotherapy skin reaction", "chemotherapy skin toxicity", "frozen glove", "frozen sock", "cooling packaging care", "ice gloves", "ice socks", "usual care", "severity", "comfort", "satisfaction", "severity", and "comfort". The search focused on articles published before December 2016. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 5 articles involving relevant randomized controlled trials were extracted for review. Elasto-Gel ice gloves or ice socks that were chilled to -25°C- -30°C and used for 15 mins during initial chemotherapy, for one hour during chemotherapy infusion, and for 15 mins after chemotherapy were shown to improve the frequency and severity of chemotherapy-induced skin toxicity reactions. Several studies were limited by small sample sizes and different types of cooling packing programs, temperature, timing, and frequency. Thus, further research is recommended to verify the effects of cooling packing care. Cancer patients who were treated with docetaxel or PLD and who used ice gloves or ice socks that were chilled to -25°C- -30°C for 15 mins during initial chemotherapy, for one hour during chemotherapy infusion, and for 15 mins after chemotherapy improved significantly in terms of the frequency and severity of their chemotherapy-induced skin toxicity reactions. Local cooling packing care is a non-pharmacotherapy approach that is low cost and free of side effects. This review is intended to provide a reference for clinical care.

Protection of Normal Cells Against Toxic Effects of Chemotherapy by Reversible G1 Arrest

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Keyomarsi, Khandan

2002-01-01

Treatment of cancer with chemotherapy and radiation therapy has severe side effects that damage healthy proliferating cells such as hematopoietic precursors, hair follicle, cells and the epithelial...

Effects of Video Games on the Adverse Corollaries of Chemotherapy in Pediatric Oncology Patients: A Single-Case Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolko, David J.; Rickard-Figueroa, Jorge L.

1985-01-01

Assessed effects of video games on adverse corollaries of chemotherapy in three pediatric oncology patients. Results indicated that access to video games resulted in reduction in the number of anticipatory symptoms experienced and observed, as well as a diminution in the aversiveness of chemotherapy side effects. (Author/NRB)

Melatonin uses in oncology: breast cancer prevention and reduction of the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Barcelo, Emilio J; Mediavilla, Maria D; Alonso-Gonzalez, Carolina; Reiter, Russel J

2012-06-01

The possible oncostatic properties of melatonin on different types of neoplasias have been studied especially in hormone-dependent adenocarcinomas. Despite the promising results of these experimental investigations, the use of melatonin in breast cancer treatment in humans is still uncommon. This article reviews the usefulness of this indoleamine for specific aspects of breast cancer management, particularly in reference to melatonin's antiestrogenic and antioxidant properties: i) treatments oriented to breast cancer prevention, especially when the risk factors are obesity, steroid hormone treatment or chronodisruption by exposure to light at night (LAN); ii) treatment of the side effects associated with chemo- or radiotherapy. The clinical utility of melatonin depends on the appropriate identification of its actions. Because of its SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulators) and SEEM (selective estrogen enzyme modulators) properties, and its virtual absence of contraindications, melatonin could be an excellent adjuvant with the drugs currently used for breast cancer prevention (antiestrogens and antiaromatases). The antioxidant actions also make melatonin a suitable treatment to reduce oxidative stress associated with chemotherapy, especially with anthracyclines, and radiotherapy.

Combined radio- and chemotherapy from the point of view of the internist-oncologist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engelhardt, R.

1979-01-01

The indications for a combined radio- and chemotherapy can be summarized from three points of view: 1) Intensifying local radiotherapy by chemotherapy. 2) Extending local radiotherapy by systematical chemotherapy. 3) Supporting chemotherapy by radiotherapy. The side effects of the combination are discussed, classified as immediate type and long-term type. It is indicated that in all combinations the drug-specific and/or organ-specific side effects of the cytostatics must be taken into consideration. The substantial therapeutical aspect lies in prophylaxis. Exact data concerning the reduction of the dosage of the radiotherapy and/or the chemotherapy must be found after exact observation of the complications. Knowing the side effects of the immediate-type and taking into consideration the long-term damage which can be expected, there are today clear indications for a combined radio- and chemotherapy. (orig./MG) 891 MG/orig.- 892 RDG [de

Metallic taste in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

IJpma, I; Renken, R J; Ter Horst, G J; Reyners, A K L

2015-02-01

Metallic taste is a taste alteration frequently reported by cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Attention to this side effect of chemotherapy is limited. This review addresses the definition, assessment methods, prevalence, duration, etiology, and management strategies of metallic taste in chemotherapy treated cancer patients. Literature search for metallic taste and chemotherapy was performed in PubMed up to September 2014, resulting in 184 articles of which 13 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria: English publications addressing metallic taste in cancer patients treated with FDA-approved chemotherapy. An additional search in Google Scholar, in related articles of both search engines, and subsequent in the reference lists, resulted in 13 additional articles included in this review. Cancer patient forums were visited to explore management strategies. Prevalence of metallic taste ranged from 9.7% to 78% among patients with various cancers, chemotherapy treatments, and treatment phases. No studies have been performed to investigate the influence of metallic taste on dietary intake, body weight, and quality of life. Several management strategies can be recommended for cancer patients: using plastic utensils, eating cold or frozen foods, adding strong herbs, spices, sweetener or acid to foods, eating sweet and sour foods, using 'miracle fruit' supplements, and rinsing with chelating agents. Although metallic taste is a frequent side effect of chemotherapy and a much discussed topic on cancer patient forums, literature regarding metallic taste among chemotherapy treated cancer patients is scarce. More awareness for this side effect can improve the support for these patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy : Impact on quality of life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheel, A.; Beijers, A.J.M.; Mols, F.; Faber, C.G.; Vreugdenhil, G.

2014-01-01

Peripheral neuropathy is a frequently occurring side-effect of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment. The incidence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is increasing as a consequence of better treatment of cancer becoming available and increasing use of chemotherapy, and because CIPN

Coping strategies used by hospitalized children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sposito, Amanda Mota Pacciulio; Silva-Rodrigues, Fernanda Machado; Sparapani, Valéria de Cássia; Pfeifer, Luzia Iara; de Lima, Regina Aparecida Garcia; Nascimento, Lucila Castanheira

2015-03-01

To analyze coping strategies used by children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy during hospitalization. This was an exploratory study to analyze qualitative data using an inductive thematic analysis. Semistructured interviews using puppets were conducted with 10 children with cancer, between 7 and 12 years old, who were hospitalized and undergoing chemotherapy. The coping strategies to deal with chemotherapy were: understanding the need for chemotherapy; finding relief for the chemotherapy's side effects and pain; seeking pleasure in nourishment; engaging in entertaining activities and having fun; keeping the hope of cure alive; and finding support in religion. Children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy need to cope with hospitalizations, pain, medication side effects, idle time, and uncertainty regarding the success of treatment. These challenges motivated children to develop their own coping strategies, which were effective while undergoing chemotherapy. By gaining knowledge and further understanding about valid coping strategies during chemotherapy treatment, health professionals can mobilize personal and material resources from the children, health teams, and institutions aiming to potentiate the use of these strategies to make treatments the least traumatic. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Preparing Patients for Cancer Chemotherapy: Effect of Coping Preparation and Relaxation Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Burish, Thomas G.; And Others

1991-01-01

Sixty cancer chemotherapy patients were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: relaxation training with guided relaxation imagery (RT), general coping preparation (PREP), both RT and PREP, or routine clinic treatment only. Found that PREP intervention increased patients' knowledge of disease and treatment, reduced anticipatory side effects,…

Full dose CHOP chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tominaga, Shinichi; Kondo, Makoto; Ando, Yutaka; Yamashita, Shoji; Uematsu, Minoru; Shigematsu, Naoyuki; Nishiguchi, Iku; Hashimoto, Shozo

1985-01-01

Since 1982, we have performed 125 courses of CHOP chemotherapy for 27 patients of malignancy, adhering to the original regimen as strictly as possible. CHOP chemotherapy consisted of Cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m 2 , iv, on day 1; Adriamycin 50 mg/m 2 , iv, on day 1; Vincristine 1.4 mg/m 2 , iv, on day 1 (maximum single dose 2.0 mg) and Prednisolone 50 mg/m 2 , po, day 1 through 5. The cycle was repeated every 21 days. As side effects, myelosuppression, hair loss, fever, nausea, vomiting, liver dysfunction, stomatitis, neuropathy, herpes zoster, arrhythmia and hemorrhagic cystitis were seen. Due to myelosuppression, twenty patients experienced febrile episodes at each nadir of WBC counts on 40 courses. However, any febrile patient did not have life threatening infection. Other side effects were also reversible. The radiotherapy of most patients was carried out as initially scheduled, except for 3 patients in whom irradiation was interrupted due to severe stomatitis or herpes zoster. We consider that CHOP chemotherapy is excellent in feasibility even when combined with radiotherapy. (author)

Nail changes secondary to docetaxel chemotherapy : a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghafoor Qamar

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Docetaxel is a chemotherapy agent used in the management of many neoplastic conditions. Various side effects are known. Nail changes are often under-recognised or attributed to other causes. Case presentation We report the case of a 66 year old gentleman who received docetaxel chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. He had nail changes as a complication of the treatment. Conclusion Nail toxicity is a recognised side-effect of taxane chemotherapy agents and can often persist for many months after finishing the treatment. We would like to highlight this problem, so it can be considered as a differential diagnosis in the appropriate population.

Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy Based on Chemotherapy

OpenAIRE

Chen-Yang Zhao; Rui Cheng; Zhe Yang; Zhong-Min Tian

2018-01-01

Chemotherapy has been widely applied in clinics. However, the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy against cancer is seriously dissatisfactory due to the nonspecific drug distribution, multidrug resistance (MDR) and the heterogeneity of cancer. Therefore, combinational therapy based on chemotherapy mediated by nanotechnology, has been the trend in clinical research at present, which can result in a remarkably increased therapeutic efficiency with few side effects to normal tissues. Moreover,...

Mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced behavioral toxicities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabeth G Vichaya

2015-04-01

Full Text Available While chemotherapeutic agents have yielded relative success in the treatment of cancer, patients are often plagued with unwanted and even debilitating side-effects from the treatment which can lead to dose reduction or even cessation of treatment. Common side effects (symptoms of chemotherapy include (i cognitive deficiencies such as problems with attention, memory and executive functioning; (ii fatigue and motivational deficit; and (iii neuropathy. These symptoms often develop during treatment but can remain even after cessation of chemotherapy, severely impacting long-term quality of life. Little is known about the underlying mechanisms responsible for the development of these behavioral toxicities, however, neuroinflammation is widely considered to be one of the major mechanisms responsible for chemotherapy-induced symptoms. Here, we critically assess what is known in regards to the role of neuroinflammation in chemotherapy-induced symptoms. We also argue that, based on the available evidence neuroinflammation is unlikely the only mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of chemotherapy-induced behavioral toxicities. We evaluate two other putative candidate mechanisms. To this end we discuss the mediating role of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs activated in response to chemotherapy-induced cellular damage. We also review the literature with respect to possible alternative mechanisms such as a chemotherapy-induced change in the bioenergetic status of the tissue involving changes in mitochondrial function in relation to chemotherapy-induced behavioral toxicities. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie the emergence of fatigue, neuropathy, and cognitive difficulties is vital to better treatment and long-term survival of cancer patients.

Ginger augmented chemotherapy: A novel multitarget nontoxic approach for cancer management.

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Roopali; Rida, Padmashree C G; Kucuk, Omer; Aneja, Ritu

2016-06-01

Cancer, referred to as the 'disease of civilization', continues to haunt humanity due to its dreadful manifestations and limited success of therapeutic interventions such as chemotherapy in curing the disease. Although effective, chemotherapy has repeatedly demonstrated inadequacy in disease management due to its debilitating side effects arising from its deleterious nonspecific effects on normal healthy cells. In addition, development of chemoresistance due to mono-targeting often results in cessation of chemotherapy. This urgently demands development and implementation of multitargeted alternative therapies with mild or no side effects. One extremely promising strategy that yet remains untapped in the clinic is augmenting chemotherapy with dietary phytochemicals or extracts. Ginger, depository of numerous bioactive molecules, not only targets cancer cells but can also mitigate chemotherapy-associated side effects. Consequently, combination therapy involving ginger extract and chemotherapeutic agents may offer the advantage of being efficacious with reduced toxicity. Here we discuss the remarkable and often overlooked potential of ginger extract to manage cancer, the possibility of developing ginger-based combinational therapies, and the major roadblocks along with strategies to overcome them in clinical translation of such inventions. We are optimistic that clinical implementation of such combination regimens would be a much sought after modality in cancer management. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The effects of short-term fasting on tolerance to (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-negative breast cancer patients: a randomized pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot, S. de; Vreeswijk, M.P.; Welters, M.J.; Gravesteijn, G.; Boei, J.J.; Jochems, A.; Houtsma, D.; Putter, H.; Hoeven, J.J.M. van der; Nortier, J.W.; Pijl, H.; Kroep, J.R.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Preclinical evidence shows that short-term fasting (STF) protects healthy cells against side effects of chemotherapy and makes cancer cells more vulnerable to it. This pilot study examines the feasibility of STF and its effects on tolerance of chemotherapy in a homogeneous patient group

Modeling Chemotherapy-Induced Hair Loss: From Experimental Propositions toward Clinical Reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Botchkarev, Vladimir A; Sharov, Andrey A

2016-03-01

Chemotherapy-induced hair loss is one of the most devastating side effects of cancer treatment. To study the effects of chemotherapeutic agents on the hair follicle, a number of experimental models have been proposed. Yoon et al. report that transplantation of human scalp hair follicles onto chemotherapy-treated immunodeficient mice serves as an excellent in vivo model for chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Yoon et al. demonstrate that (i) the response of human hair follicles grafted onto immunodeficient mice to cyclophosphamide resembles the key features of the chemotherapy-induced hair loss seen in patients with cancer and (ii) this human in vivo model for chemotherapy-induced hair loss is closer to clinical reality than to any earlier models. Undoubtedly, this model will serve as a valuable tool for analyses of the mechanisms that underlie this devastating side effect of anti-cancer therapy. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Super-selective interventional chemotherapy combined with systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of postoperative gliomas:a clinical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jian; Hu Qinglei; Sun Yanchun; Feng Lei; Liu Yunzhen; Liu Ju; Kong Ruifen

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate super-selective interventional chemotherapy combined with systemic chemotherapy in treating postoperative gliomas. Methods: During the period of 2005-2009, a total of 46 patients with glioma were encountered in our hospital. According to the principle of patient's free will the involved patients were divided into two groups. Study group (n = 25): after operation the patients received routine radiotherapy, which was followed by super-selective interventional chemotherapy combined simultaneously with systemic chemotherapy. Control group (n = 21): after operation the patients received routine radiotherapy, which was followed by systemic chemotherapy only. The patients were regularly followed up. Cranial CT checkups were made to determine the tumor size, and the results were evaluated with Karnofsky scores. The clinical data were analyzed and compared between two groups. Results: In the study group, the side-effects and complications included epileptic seizures (n = 3), eye pain (n = 5), headache (n = 9), nausea and vomiting (n = 8) and thrombopenia (n = 1). In the control group,the side-effects and complications were as follows: epileptic seizures (n = 1), headache (n = 7), nausea and vomiting (n = 6) and thrombopenia(n = 3). No death occurred in either of the two groups. The patients were followed up for an average period of 2.3 years. Before chemotherapy no statistically significant difference in tumor size existed between two groups (P > 0.05). One year after the chemotherapy, the tumor volume in study group was reduced by 67.11%, while it was 45.79% in control group. By using independent sample t test analysis, the difference between two groups was of statistical significance (P < 0.05). Wilcoxon rank sum test and Karnofsky prognostic score analysis indicated that the prognosis of study group was much better than that of control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In comparison with routine radiotherapy plus simple systemic chemotherapy, routine

Side effects of cancer therapies. International classification and documentation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seegenschmiedt, M.H.

1998-01-01

The publication presents and explains verified, international classification and documentation systems for side effects induced by cancer treatments, applicable in general and clinical practice and clinical research, and covers in a clearly arranged manner the whole range of treatments, including acute and chronic side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, surgery, or combined therapies. The book fills a long-felt need in tumor documentation and is a major contribution to quality assurance in clinical oncology in German-speaking countries. As most parts of the book are bilingual, presenting German and English texts and terminology, it satisfies the principles of interdisciplinarity and internationality. The tabulated form chosen for presentation of classification systems and criteria facilitate the user's approach as well as application in daily work. (orig./CB) [de

Ginger effects on control of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyyed Meisam Ebrahimi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background : Chemotherapy-induced nausea (CIN in the anticipatory and acute phase is the most common side effect in cancer therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ginger capsules on the alleviation of this problem. Methods : This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 80 women with breast cancer between August till December 2009 in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. These patients underwent one-day chemotherapy regime and suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea. After obtaining written consent, samples were randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. Two groups were matched based on the age and emetic effects of chemotherapy drugs used. The intervention group received ginger capsules (250 mg, orally four times a day (1 gr/d and the same samples from the placebo group received starch capsules (250 mg, orally for three days before to three days after chemotherapy. To measure the effect of capsules a three-part questionnaire was used, so the samples filled every night out these tools. After collecting the information, the gathered data were analyzed by statistical tests like Fisher’s exact, Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square using version 8 of STATA software. Results : The mean ± SD of age in the intervention and placebo groups were 41.8 ± 8.4 and 45.1 ± 10 years, respectively. Results indicated that the severity and number of nausea in the anticipatory phase were significantly lower in the ginger group compared with placebo group (P=0.0008, P=0.0007, respectively. Also, the intensity (P=0.0001 and number (P=0.0001 of nausea in the acute phase were significantly lower in the ginger group. On the other hand, taking ginger capsules compared with placebo did not result in any major complications. Conclusion: Consuming ginger root powder capsules (1 gr/d from three days before chemotherapy till three days after it in combination with the standard anti-emetic regimen can

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: an update on the current understanding.

Science.gov (United States)

Addington, James; Freimer, Miriam

2016-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of selected chemotherapeutic agents. Previous work has suggested that patients often under report the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and physicians fail to recognize the presence of such symptoms in a timely fashion. The precise pathophysiology that underlies chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, in both the acute and the chronic phase, remains complex and appears to be medication specific. Recent work has begun to demonstrate and further clarify potential pathophysiological processes that predispose and, ultimately, lead to the development of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. There is increasing evidence that the pathway to neuropathy varies with each agent. With a clearer understanding of how these agents affect the peripheral nervous system, more targeted treatments can be developed in order to optimize treatment and prevent long-term side effects.

Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion to Treat Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

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Papapetrou, Peter; Kumar, Aashish J; Muppuri, Rudram; Chakrabortty, Shushovan

2015-11-01

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating side effect of chemotherapy, which manifests as paresthesias, dysesthesias, and numbness in the hands and feet. Numerous chemoprotective agents and treatments have been used with limited success to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. We report a case in which a patient presenting with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy received an IV lidocaine infusion over the course of 60 minutes with complete symptomatic pain relief for a prolonged period of 2 weeks.

Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hepatic steatosis.

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Jiménez, Raúl; Hijona, Elizabeth; Emparanza, José; Alústiza, Jose M; Hijona, Lander; Macarulla, Maria T; Portillo, Maria P; Herreros-Villanueva, Marta; Beguiristain, Adolfo; Arenas, Juan; Bujanda, Luis

2012-01-01

Chemotherapy drugs often produce side effects in the liver. In recent years, there has been speculation about the ability to produce hepatic steatosis in patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin. This prospective study examines whether these drugs can produce steatosis in patients with neoadjuvant treatment who were operated on for liver tumors. Our objective was to assess the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on the development of hepatic steatosis in the healthy liver. This was a prospective study based on 32 patients divided into two groups. The presence of steatosis was assessed using a histological score (Kleiner classification) and a biochemical method (Folch method) for patients from both groups. A total of 14 patients (44%) had hepatic steatosis and half of these were in each group. The steatosis was moderate to severe (grades 2-3) in 4 patients (13%), 2 in each group. The mean levels of triglycerides in the liver were 33.38 and 29.94 mg/g in group I and group II, respectively, with the difference not being statistically significant. Almost half of the patients treated with NAC for liver neoplasia developed steatosis. Nevertheless, NAC does not seem to increase the risk of hepatic steatosis. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Side Effects

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Side effects are problems that occur when cancer treatment affects healthy tissues or organs. Learn about side effects caused by cancer treatment. Know what signs and symptoms to call your doctor about. Learn about treatments for side effects.

[MODERN APPROACHES TO THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CHEMOTHERAPY TOXICITY IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER].

Science.gov (United States)

Syvak, L A; Hubareva, H O; Filonenko, K S; Majdanevych, N M; Aleksyk, O M; Lyalkin, S A; Klimanov, M J; Askolskyi, A V; Kasap, N V

2015-01-01

The use of modern chemotherapy (CT) allowed to achieve significant progress in the treatment of many malignant tumors that were previously considered fatal. Improving the efficiency of the treatment was achieved by the intensification of chemotherapy. However, intensification of chemotherapy regimes provoked increase in the number of side effects of anticancer therapy,which often lead to a decrease in the intensity of the selected mode, the additional financial costs of treating the complications and the formation of the negative attitude of the patient to treatment. Thus, the side effects of chemotherapy are the actual problem of modern oncology. The purpose of this literature review was to investigate the frequency, symptoms and ways to prevent and treat various types of toxicity of chemotherapy.

Outcome of chemotherapy counseling by pharmacists on psychological effects and self esteem among oncology patients in a Government Hospital in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ummavathy, P; Sherina, M S; Rampal, L; Siti Irma Fadhilah, I

2015-06-01

Chemotherapy is the most common form of treatment among cancer patients. It is also known to cause many physical and psychological side-effects. This study developed, implemented and evaluated the outcome of a chemotherapy counseling module among oncology patients by pharmacists based on their psychological effects (depression, anxiety) and selfesteem. A randomized, single blind, placebo controlled study was conducted among 162 patients undergoing chemotherapy in a government hospital in Malaysia. Counseling sessions were conducted using the 'Managing Patients on Chemotherapy' module for oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy at each treatment cycle. The outcome of repetitive chemotherapy counseling using the module was determined at baseline, first follow-up, second follow-up and third follow-up. The findings revealed that there was significant improvement in the intervention group as compared to the control group with large effect size on depression (p = 0.001, partial η(2) = 0.394), anxiety (p = 0.001, partial η(2) = 0.232) and self-esteem (p = 0.001, partial η(2) = 0.541). Repetitive counseling using the 'Managing Patients on Chemotherapy' module was found to be effective in improving psychological effects and self-esteem among patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Numerical simulation of scalp cooling to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, F.E.M.; Leeuwen, van G.M.J.; Steenhoven, van A.A.

2005-01-01

One way of treating cancer' is by chemotherapy. Side-effects of chemotherapy include hair loss. Cooling the scalp during trearment can reduce hair loss. For this cooling, a cap containing a cold tluid (cold cap) is used. However, the rate of success of this method varies strongly, because precise

Immunotherapy counteracting the immuno-depressive effect of radio and chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, E.; Bartal, A.; Cohen, Y.; Mekori, T.

1977-01-01

Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy effect cures in a portion of cancer patients, but these treatments depress the immune system of the host. The purpose of our work was to find whether immunotherapy would abolish the depressive effect of the conventional treatment and thereby increase the percentage of cancer patients cured from their disease. The immunotherapeutic agent used was MER, a methanol extraction residue of the antituberculosis vaccine BCG. All patients had histologically proven neoplasia. The immunological responsiveness of the patients was evaluated before and after radiotherapy, chemotherapy and each MER treatment. The following immunological parameters were followed: (i) cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity to 3 recal antigens (PPD, SK-SD and Candidine); (ii) in vitro lymphocytic transformation to PHA and to the 3 above mentioned antigens. The patients were randomized into two groups. One group receiving injections of MER and the second acting as a control group. MER had no serious side effects and was well tolerated in most of the patients. The cutaneous reactivity became stronger and the lymphocytic stimulation index became higher after MER treatment. 51 patients with advanced lung cancer entered the trial. 29 were treated by MER after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy and 22 control patients received only conventional therapy. There was no statistical significant difference in the survival between both groups, but it seems that in patients with locally advanced disease the survival was better in the MER group. MER treated group had less distant metastases which is in accord with the theory that immunotherapy is more effective in small tumours. Evidence points to the importance of the immune response in controlling the progression of malignant disease. Therefore, for neoplasia which cannot be controlled by surgery and/or radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy immunotherapy should be considered. (author)

Factors Which Influence Owners When Deciding to Use Chemotherapy in Terminally Ill Pets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane Williams

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Chemotherapy is a commonly integrated treatment option within human and animal oncology regimes. Limited research has investigated pet owners’ treatment decision-making in animals diagnosed with malignant neoplasia. Dog and cat owners were asked to complete an online questionnaire to elucidate factors which are key to the decision making process. Seventy-eight respondents completed the questionnaire in full. Fifty-eight percent of pet owners would not elect to treat pets with chemotherapy due to the negative impact of the associated side effects. Seventytwo percent of respondents over estimated pet survival time post chemotherapy, indicating a general perception that it would lead to remission or a cure. Vomiting was considered an acceptable side effect but inappetence, weight loss and depression were considered unacceptable. Owners did expect animals’ to be less active, sleep more and play less, but common side effects were not rated as acceptable despite the potential benefits of chemotherapy. Based on the results, veterinary teams involved with oncology consultations should establish if clients have prior experience of cancer treatments and their expectations of survival time. Quality of life assessments should also be implemented during initial oncology consultations and conducted regularly during chemotherapy courses to inform client decision making and to safe guard animal welfare.

Age-related differences in renal side-effects of radiation and chemotherapy in the rat

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.H.T.M. Jongejan (Mieke)

1988-01-01

textabstractThe improved life-expectancy of cancer patient has brought to light late sequelae of oncology therapy. This is especially true for pediatric patients. Renal damage is one of the adverse side-effects of anti-tumor therapy that may occur. Studies conceming damaging effects of

Efficacy and safety of ior® LeukoCIM (G-CSF in patients with neutropenia after chemotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leslie Pérez Ruiz

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Neutropenia and infections are the most restrictive side effects during chemotherapy application. The granulocytic colonies stimulating factor activates the neutrophils, shortens the neutropenic period and can be effective against the potential risk of infection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LeukoCIM® (CIMAB, Havana. A retrospective observational study was carried out with data from the patients with neutropenic episodes enrolled in the open-label, non-randomized, multicenter, phase IV clinical trial. These patients were from Gustavo Aldereguía Lima hospital. They had been evaluated for one year. Demographic information, clinical data and side effects were analyzed. As prophylaxis indication LeukoCIM® was administrated 24-72 h after the last chemotherapy dose and as treatment when neutropenia was diagnosed. In both cases, a daily single 300 µg dose was administrated subcutaneously. The application of the next chemotherapy cycle on time was the main variable of response and the product safety was assessed by measuring the side effects. Forty seven patients with 95 neutropenic episodes were enrolled. The 82.1 % of episodes received their next chemotherapy cycle on time. The most frequent side effects were: bone pain and fever (11.2 % respectively, hyperuricemia (9.2 %, leukocytosis and neutrophilia (7.1 % and increased LDH (6.1 %. LeukoCIM® was effective in patients receiving chemotherapy, because it accelerated neutrophil recovery, decreased the incidence of febrile neutropenia and improved delivery of protocol doses of chemotherapy on time. Additionally, this product was considered safe for the studied patients since just known adverse events were reported.

Patient-reported outcome assessment and objective evaluation of chemotherapy-induced alopecia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Komen, M.M.; Hurk, C.J. van den; Nortier, J.W.; Ploeg, T. van der; Smorenburg, C.H.; Hoeven, J.J.M. van der

2018-01-01

PURPOSE: Alopecia is one of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy. Evaluating and comparing the efficacy of potential therapies to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) has been complicated by the lack of a standardized measurement for hair loss. In this study we investigated the

Effectiveness of combinations of Ayurvedic drugs in alleviating drug toxicity and improving quality of life of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Deshmukh, Vineeta; Kulkarni, Arvind; Bhargava, Sudhir; Patil, Tushar; Ramdasi, Vijay; Gangal, Sudha; Godse, Vasanti; Datar, Shrinivas; Gujar, Shweta; Sardeshmukh, Sadanand

2014-11-01

This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of combinations of Ayurvedic drugs in alleviating the toxicity of chemotherapy and improving the quality of life of cancer patients. The following was the research question: Can Ayurvedic drugs be used to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy and improve the quality of life of cancer patients? Random patients with malignancies of different tissues, grades, and stages were divided into two groups according to their treatment modality. Group 1 consisted of 15 patients treated with six cycles of chemotherapy alone and who did not receive any Ayurvedic drugs (control group). Group 2 consisted of patients (divided into three arms) who received Ayurvedic drugs during chemotherapy and after chemotherapy. Nineteen patients in arm 1 received the Ayurvedic drugs Mauktikyukta Kamdudha (MKD) and Mauktikyukta Praval Panchamruta (MPP) along with a full course of chemotherapy. Fifteen patients in arm 2 received the same Ayurvedic treatment, but the treatment was started after completing the sixth cycle of chemotherapy. Eighteen patients in arm 3 received the Suvarnabhasmadi formulation (SBD) in addition to MKD and MPP after completing the sixth cycle of chemotherapy. Treatment was given for 16 weeks in all three arms. Patients from both groups were observed for a period of 6 months. The assessment criteria depended on Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC designed by NIH and NCI): haemogram; weight; physical examination including Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ designed by the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)) for functional, symptom and global scores; and Karnofsky score for assessment of general well-being and activities of daily life. ECOG (Eastern Cooperation Oncology Group) score was also additionally included for assessment of symptoms. From amongst the symptomatic criteria, there was significant improvement in all the three arms compared with the control group in nausea, loss of appetite

Clearing the fog: a review of the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids and added sugars on chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits.

Science.gov (United States)

Orchard, Tonya S; Gaudier-Diaz, Monica M; Weinhold, Kellie R; Courtney DeVries, A

2017-02-01

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy have been an important part of extending survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer. However, chemotherapy can cause potentially toxic side effects in the brain that impair memory, verbal fluency, and processing speed in up to 30% of women treated. Women report that post-chemotherapy cognitive deficits negatively impact quality of life and may last up to ten years after treatment. Mechanisms underlying these cognitive impairments are not fully understood, but emerging evidence suggests that chemotherapy induces structural changes in the brain, produces neuroinflammation, and reduces adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Dietary approaches that modify inflammation and neurogenesis are promising strategies for reducing chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits in breast cancer survivors. In this review, we describe the cognitive and neuronal side effects associated with commonly used chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer, and we focus on the often opposing actions of omega-3 fatty acids and added sugars on cognitive function, neuroinflammation, and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Omega-3 fatty acids administered concurrently with doxorubicin chemotherapy have been shown to prevent depressive-like behaviors and reduce neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neural apoptosis in rodent models. In contrast, diets high in added sugars may interact with n-3 FAs to diminish their anti-inflammatory activity or act independently to increase neuroinflammation, reduce adult hippocampal neurogenesis, and promote cognitive deficits. We propose that a diet rich in long-chain, marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids and low in added sugars may be an ideal pattern for preventing or alleviating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, thereby protecting neurons from the toxic effects of chemotherapy. Research testing this hypothesis could lead to the identification of modifiable dietary choices to reduce the long-term impact of chemotherapy on the

Effect of acyclovir on radiation- and chemotherapy-induced mouth lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bubley, G.J.; Chapman, B.; Chapman, S.K.; Crumpacker, C.S.; Schnipper, L.E.

1989-01-01

Several chemotherapeutic regimens and radiation therapy, if delivered to the oral mucosa, are associated with a high frequency of mouth lesions. The cause of this side effect is not known for certain, but in past studies it has sometimes been associated with the ability to culture herpes simplex virus type 1 from the mouth. In a double-blind prospective trial, patients with head and neck tumors treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy were treated with either acyclovir or placebo. Although the frequency of culture-positive herpes simplex virus was low in the untreated group, it was significantly lower, zero, in the acyclovir-treated group. However, there were no differences in the frequency or type of mouth lesions experienced by patients receiving either radiation or chemotherapy who were taking acyclovir or placebo. These results suggest that herpes simplex virus is not a frequent cause or complication of oral lesions afflicting this patient population

Metronomic chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutsaers, Anthony J

2009-08-01

Chemotherapy drugs are usually administered at doses that are high enough to result in an obligatory break period to allow for the observation of potential side effects and institution of supportive care, if required. In recent years, efforts to administer chemotherapy on a more continuous basis, with a much shorter break period, or none at all, have received increased interest, and the practice has come to be known as metronomic chemotherapy. The basis for success with this currently investigational approach may be rooted in continuous drug exposure to susceptible cancer cells, inhibition of tumor blood vessel growth-a process known as tumor angiogenesis, and/or alterations in tumor immunology. Increased benefit also appears to occur when metronomic chemotherapy is used in combination with newer, targeted antiangiogenic agents, and therefore represents a promising approach to combination therapy, particularly as targeted oncology drugs make their way into veterinary oncology applications. There is still much to be learned in this field, especially with regard to optimization of the proper drugs, dose, schedule, and tumor applications. However, the low cost, ease of administration, and acceptable toxicity profiles potentially associated with this therapeutic strategy make metronomic chemotherapy protocols attractive and suitable to veterinary applications. Preliminary clinical trial results have now been reported in both human and veterinary medicine, including adjuvant treatment of canine splenic hemangiosarcoma and incompletely resected soft tissue sarcoma, and, further, more powerful studies are currently ongoing.

Effect of YH0618 soup on chemotherapy-induced toxicity in patients with cancer who have completed chemotherapy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Jie-Shu; Chen, Jian-Ping; Chan, Jessie S M; Lee, Ho-Fun; Wong, Mei-Kuen; Yeung, Wing-Fai; Lao, Li-Xing

2016-07-26

The incidence of cancer has been staying at a high level worldwide in recent years. With advances in cancer diagnosis and therapy strategy, the survival rate of patients with cancer has been increasing, but the side effects of these treatments, especially chemotherapy, are obvious even when the chemotherapy ceases. YH0618, a prescription, has showed efficacy in reducing chemotherapy-induced toxicity through long clinical practice. However, there is no scientific research exploring the effects of YH0618 in patients with cancer. Therefore, using a randomized controlled trial, this study will explore the efficacy of YH0618 on ameliorating chemotherapy-induced toxicity including dermatologic toxicity, myelosuppression, hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity and improving fatigue in cancer patients who have completed chemotherapy. This is a prospective assessor-blinded, parallel, randomized controlled trial. Patients with cancer at any stage who have completed chemotherapy within two weeks will be randomly divided into group A (YH0618) and group B (wait-list) using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The chemotherapeutic agents include taxanes or anthracyclines. Subjects assigned to group A will receive YH0618 soup 6 days a week for 6 weeks and uncontrolled follow-up for 6 weeks, while group B are required to wait for 6 weeks before receiving YH0618 intervention. The primary outcome of this study is the incidence of protocol-specified grade ≥2 dermatologic toxicities graded by NCI CTCAE Chinese version 4.0 and changes of fingernail color, face skin color and tongue color evaluated by the L*a*b system within 6 weeks. There are some secondary outcomes associated with dermatologic toxicity including fatigue and clinical objective examination. There are few scientific and safe methods in ameliorating chemotherapy-induced toxicity. The proposed study may provide direct and convincing evidence to support YH0618 as an adjuvant treatment for reducing chemotherapy-induced toxicity, which

The effect of reflexology on chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and fatigue in breast cancer patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afitap Özdelikara

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Patients receiving chemotherapy struggle with the side effects of this treatment. These side effects obligate the patients to use not only the pharmacological methods but also non-pharmacological relaxing methods. This study was conducted to determine the effect of reflexology on chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and fatigue in breast cancer patients. Methods: The study was conducted as a pretest–posttest experimental design. The study was conducted with sixty patients, thirty as the control and thirty as the experimental groups. A sociodemographic form, Rhodes index of nausea, vomiting, and retching (INVR, and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI were used to collect the data. Analysis of variance, t-test, percentage calculations, and Chi-square methods were used to evaluate the data. The data obtained were assessed using the “Statistical Package for Social Science 21.0” software. Results: It was determined that the difference between the total mean scores of INVR in the experimental and control groups was significant on the onset and first and second measurements, and the difference between total mean scores of development and distress between the groups was statistically significant in the third measurement (P < 0.05. The results of the study showed that the BFI mean scores of patients in the experimental group gradually decreased in the first, second, and third measurements (P < 0.05. Conclusions: The present study proved that reflexology decreased the experience, development, distress of nausea, vomiting, and retching as well as fatigue in the experimental group. Hence, the use of reflexology is recommended for chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.

Chemotherapy: the effect of oral cryotherapy on the development of mucositis.

Science.gov (United States)

Karagözoğlu, Serife; Filiz Ulusoy, Mehlika

2005-07-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of oral cryotherapy on the development of chemotherapy-induced mucositis in patients administered combined chemotherapy. Mucositis has been of interest to scientists for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, this has not resulted in the development of standard procedures for prevention and management. To cope with this side-effect and to prevent opportunistic infections that may emerge during treatment, attempts are taken to provide preventative and comfort measures. In this context, cryotherapy (oral cooling) has become popular as a cheap and readily applicable method in preventing the developing due the rapid infusion of chemotherapy agents, or decreasing its severity. Study involved 60 patients, 30 of whom were in the study group and 30 in the control group. Ice cubes at a size that can be moved easily in the mouth and whose corners have been smoothed in order that they will not cause irritation in the mouth has been used in oral cryotherapy in the study group. Oral chemotherapy was initiated five minutes before chemotherapy and maintained during venous infusions of etoposide (Vepesid), platinol (Cisplatin), mitomycin (Mitomycin-C) and vinblastin (Velbe) depending on the chemotherapy course. According to Patient-Judged Mucositis Grading, the rate of mucositis is 36.7% in study group and 90.0% in control group, the difference between two groups being statistically significant (P cryotherapy makes an important contribution to the protection of oral health by reducing the mucositis score according to patient- and physician-judged mucositis score and by increasing oral pH values. Aggressive cancer therapy places patients at greater risk for oral complications and treatment-related consequences. Unfortunately, prevention and/or treatment of such oral sequelae have often become overlooked as priorities of the treatment team. Effective approaches for the prevention or treatment of oral mucositis have not been standardized

Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy Based on Chemotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen-Yang Zhao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Chemotherapy has been widely applied in clinics. However, the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy against cancer is seriously dissatisfactory due to the nonspecific drug distribution, multidrug resistance (MDR and the heterogeneity of cancer. Therefore, combinational therapy based on chemotherapy mediated by nanotechnology, has been the trend in clinical research at present, which can result in a remarkably increased therapeutic efficiency with few side effects to normal tissues. Moreover, to achieve the accurate pre-diagnosis and real-time monitoring for tumor, the research of nano-theranostics, which integrates diagnosis with treatment process, is a promising field in cancer treatment. In this review, the recent studies on combinational therapy based on chemotherapy will be systematically discussed. Furthermore, as a current trend in cancer treatment, advance in theranostic nanoparticles based on chemotherapy will be exemplified briefly. Finally, the present challenges and improvement tips will be presented in combination therapy and nano-theranostics.

The effect of intravenous vitamin C on cancer- and chemotherapy-related fatigue and quality of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anitra C. Carr

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Cancer patients commonly experience a number of symptoms of disease progression and the side effects of radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, which adversely impact on their quality of life. Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms reported by cancer patients and can affect quality of life more than pain. Several recent studies have indicated that intravenous vitamin C alleviates a number of cancer- and chemotherapy-related symptoms, such as fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea and pain. Improvements in physical, role, cognitive, emotional and social functioning, as well as an improvement in overall health, were also observed. In this mini review we briefly cover the methods commonly used to assess health-related quality of life in cancer patients, and describe the few recent studies examining the effects of intravenous vitamin C on cancer- and chemotherapy-related quality of life. We discuss potential mechanisms that might explain an improvement in quality of life and also considerations for future studies.

The effect of geriatric intervention in frail elderly patients receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, C M; Vistisen, K K; Dehlendorff, C

2017-01-01

patients are offered inclusion and are then randomized to two groups (the intervention group and the control group). Patients in the intervention group receive a full geriatric assessment of comorbidity, medication, psycho-cognitive function, physical, functional and nutrition status, and interventions......BACKGROUND: Better surgical techniques, chemotherapy and biological therapy have improved survival in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), most markedly in younger patients. About half of patients over 70 years receive dose reductions or early treatment discontinuation of the planned adjuvant...... or first-line treatment due to side effects. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a multidisciplinary evaluation of an elderly individual's health status. This assessment in older patients with cancer can predict survival, chemotherapy toxicity and morbidity. METHODS: This randomized phase II...

Potential protective role of hydrogen against cisplatininduced side ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Potential protective role of hydrogen against cisplatininduced side effects during chemotherapy: A mini-review of a novel hypothesis for antagonism of hydrogen. ... Molecular hydrogen has been shown to have therapeutic effects against damage to various organs (especially kidney, brain and liver) caused by ischemic ...

Analysis of cortical bone porosity using synchrotron radiation microtomography to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

Alessio, R.; Nogueira, L. P.; Salata, C.; Mantuano, A.; Almeida, A. P.; Braz, D.; de Almeida, C. E.; Tromba, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2015-11-01

Microporosities play important biologic and mechanical roles on health. One of the side effects caused by some chemotherapy drugs is the induction of amenorrhea, temporary or not, in premenopausal women, with a consequent decrease in estrogen production, which can lead to cortical bone changes. In the present work, the femur diaphysis of rats treated with chemotherapy drugs were evaluated by 3D morphometric parameters using synchrotron radiation microtomography. Control animals were also evaluated for comparison. The 3D tomographic images were obtained at the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline at the ELETTRA Synchrotron Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. Results showed significant differences in morphometric parameters measured from the 3D images of femur diaphysis of rats.

Prevention of gastrointestinal side-effects in paediatric oncology: what are the guidelines?

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Karis K F

2017-06-01

Gastrointestinal side-effects, particularly with regard to alimentary tract mucositis and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), continue to be frequent and debilitating symptomatic conditions among children and adolescents receiving cytotoxic cancer therapy. Further avenues of progress for mucositis and CINV prevention in paediatric oncology setting are warranted. The current article reviews the major guidelines and literature published in 2016 pertaining to the prevention of mucositis and CINV. Considerable professional organizational efforts have been made to develop consensus-based or evidence-based guidelines that periodically update to define basic standards of mucositis and CINV prevention. There are a few published works in 2016 that may contribute to the emerging evidence on prevention of mucositis and CINV in the paediatric setting for future guideline updates. The concomitant use of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone are effective to prevent acute and delayed CINV in children who are to receive highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Optimal control of acute and delayed CINV can prevent anticipatory CINV. Oral care protocols would be beneficial to prevent mucositis in children across all cancer treatment modalities. Cryotherapy or low-level light therapy may be applied to cooperative children undergoing chemotherapy or haematological stem cell transplant conditioning regimens with a high rate of mucositis.

Changes in body composition as a result of chemotherapy

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Berg, van den Maaike M.G.A.

2017-01-01

Because of the improved survival rate, both short term and long term adverse effects of breast cancer treatment have become increasingly important. Body weight and body composition before, during, and after chemotherapy may influence side effects during treatment and survival. The aims of this

Starvation Based Differential Chemotherapy: A Novel Approach for Cancer Treatment

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Sidra Naveed

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment are advised to increase food intake to overcome the therapy-induced side effects, and weight loss. Dietary restriction is known to slow down the aging process and hence reduce age-related diseases such as cancer. Fasting or short-term starvation is more effective than dietary restriction to prevent cancer growth since starved cells switch off signals for growth and reproduction and enter a protective mode, while cancer cells, being mutated, are not sensitized by any external growth signals and are not protected against any stress. This phenomenon is known as differential stress resistance (DSR. Nutrient signaling pathways involving growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 axis and its downstream effectors, play a key role in DSR in response to starvation controlling the other cell maintenance systems, such as autophagy and apoptosis, that are related to the tumorigenesis. Yeast cells lacking these effectors are better protected against oxidative stress compared to normal cells. In the same way, starvation protects many cell lines and mice against high-dose chemotherapeutic drugs. According to a series of studies, fasting results in overall reduction in chemotherapy side effects in cancer patients. Data shows that starvation-dependent differential chemotherapy is safe, feasible and effective in cancer treatment, but the possible side effects of starvation limit its efficacy. However, further studies and clinical trials may result in its implementation in cancer treatment.

Effects of Slow-stroke Back Massage on Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting in the Pediatrics with Acute Leukemia: a Challenge of Controlling Symptoms

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Mojtaba Miladinia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of chemotherapy in the pediatrics with cancer which affect their quality of life. Use of some methods of complementary medicine in leukemia patients is problematic. Because, leukemia patients are at risk of infection and bleeding, therefore the use of acupressure, acupuncture, and deep massage can be risky in these patients. Slow- stroke back massage is applied on the surface of body, so does not have complications. No study has addressed the effect of massage therapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatrics with acute leukemia in the world.  Material and methods This study was a two-group randomized controlled trial (RCT, double blind and repeated measures design. In this RCT, 45 school age children with acute leukemia were placed in the massage and control groups. Before start of the study, at the day of chemotherapy administration (day 1th, only nausea and vomiting were measured. Then during 6 days next (day 2 through 7, the intervention group received 5-minutes Super Smash Bros. Melee (SSBM, immediately before start of each session of chemotherapy. Nausea was measured during chemotherapy, 0.5 h and 3 h after each session of chemotherapy in the two groups. Also vomiting was recorded during 24 h after each session of chemotherapy. Repeated measures ANOVA, Chi-square, and t-test were used for analysis. Results Most of pediatrics were male (58.13%, and suffered from Acute myeloid leukemia (AML (81.7%. The repeated measure analysis showed that in the intervention group, the SSBM reduced progressive mean of nausea severity and frequency of vomit over time. While, this side effects have slightly increased over time in the control group. Conclusion The results of this study are suggesting that SSBM, as a non-pharmacologic, easy and safe method, is effective in controlling Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV in the pediatrics with acute leukemia.

Efficacy of Ginger in Control of Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Doxorubicin-Based Chemotherapy.

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Ansari, Mansour; Porouhan, Pezhman; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Omidvari, Shapour; Mosalaei, Ahmad; Ahmadloo, Niloofar; Nasrollahi, Hamid; Hamedi, Seyed Hasan

2016-01-01

Nausea and vomiting are among the most serious side effects of chemotherapy, in some cases leading to treatment interruption or chemotherapy dose reduction. Ginger has long been known as an antiemetic drug, used for conditions such as motion sickness, nausea-vomiting in pregnancy, and post-operation side effects. One hundred and fifty female patients with breast cancer entered this prospective study and were randomized to receive ginger (500 mg ginger powder, twice a day for 3 days) or placebo. One hundred and nineteen patients completed the study: 57 of them received ginger and 62 received ginger for the frst 3 chemotherapy cycles. Mean age in all patients was 48.6 (25-79) years. After 1st chemotherapy, mean nausea in the ginger and control arms were 1.36 (±1.31) and 1.46 (±1.28) with no statistically significant difference. After the 2nd chemotherapy session, nausea score was slightly more in the ginger group (1.36 versus 1.32). After 3rd chemotherapy, mean nausea severity in control group was less than ginger group [1.37 (±1.14), versus 1.42 (±1.30)]. Considering all patients, nausea was slightly more severe in ginger arm. In ginger arm mean nausea score was 1.42 (±0.96) and in control arm it was 1.40 (±0.92). Mean vomiting scores after chemotherapy in ginger arm were 0.719 (±1.03), 0.68 (±1.00) and 0.77 (±1.18). In control arm, mean vomiting was 0.983 (±1.23), 1.03 (±1.22) and 1.15 (±1.27). In all sessions, ginger decreased vomiting severity from 1.4 (±1.04) to 0.71 (±0.86). None of the differences were significant. In those patients who received the AC regimen, vomiting was less severe (0.64±0.87) compared to those who received placebo (1.13±1.12), which was statistically significant (p-value <0.05). Further and larger studies are needed to draw conclusions.

Children receiving chemotherapy at home: perceptions of children and parents.

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Stevens, Bonnie; McKeever, Patricia; Law, Madelyn P; Booth, Marilyn; Greenberg, Mark; Daub, Stacey; Gafni, Amiram; Gammon, Janet; Yamada, Janet; Epstein, Iris

2006-01-01

The aim of this descriptive exploratory study was to determine the perspectives of parents and children with cancer on a home chemotherapy program. Qualitative analyses were used to organize data from 24 parents and 14 children into emerging themes. Themes included (1) financial and time costs, (2) disruption to daily routines, (3) psychological and physical effects, (4) recommendations and caveats, and (5) preference for home chemotherapy. When home chemotherapy was compared with hospital clinic-based chemotherapy, parents reported fewer financial and time costs and less disruption to their work and family schedules, and children reported more time to play/study, improved school attendance, and engagement in normal activities. Although some parents felt more secure with hospital chemotherapy, most found it more exhausting and stressful. At home, children selected places for their treatment and some experienced fewer side effects. Although some coordination/communication problems existed, the majority of parents and children preferred home chemo-therapy. Home chemotherapy treatment is a viable, acceptable, and positive health care delivery alternative from the perspective of parents and children with cancer.

Tripeptide tyroserleutide plus doxorubicin: therapeutic synergy and side effect attenuation

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Zhu, Zhi-feng; Yao, Zhi; Chen, Li-juan; Lu, Rong; Jia, Jing; Liang, Yu; Xu, Qiong; Zhou, Chun-lei; Wang, Li; Wang, Song

2008-01-01

Tripeptide tyroserleutide (YSL) is a novel small molecule anti-tumor polypeptide that has been shown to inhibit the growth of human liver cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of YSL plus doxorubicin on the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells that had been transplanted into nude mice. Nude mice bearing human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 tumors were treated with successive intraperitoneal injections of saline; low-, mid-, or high-dose doxorubicin; or low-, mid-, or high-dose doxorubicin plus YSL. Effects on the weight and volume of the tumors were evaluated. Co-administration of YSL and high-dose doxorubicin (6 mg/kg every other day) prolonged the survival time of tumor-bearing mice as compared to high-dose doxorubicin alone. As well, the anti-tumor effects of mid- and low-dose doxorubicin (2 and 0.7 mg/kg every other day, respectively) were enhanced when supplemented with YSL; the tumor growth inhibition rates for YSL plus doxorubicin were greater than the inhibition rates for the same dosages of doxorubicin alone. The combination of YSL and doxorubicin decreased chemotherapy-associated weight loss, leukocyte depression, and heart, liver, and kidney damage as compared to doxorubicin alone. The combination of YSL plus doxorubicin enhances the anti-tumor effect and reduces the side effects associated with doxorubicin chemotherapy

Pre-Irradiation Chemotherapy in High Risk Medulloblastoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd-El-Aal, H.

2006-01-01

Rationale: The present study evaluates the effect of pre-irradiation chemotherapy in pediatric patients with high risk medulloblastoma. Twenty-four (24) pediatric patients attended the pediatric unit of Kasr-EI-Aini Center of Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine (NEMROCK) from January 2000 to January 2003. Patients and Methods: Our patients were 13 boys and II girls aged 3-12 years with a median of 6.5 years. According to Chang staging system 6 cases had T2, 14 cases had T3 A and 4 cases had T3 B, 20 cases were M0, 3 cases were M I and I case was M2. All patients were treated by initial surgery, 2 cycles of pre-irradiation chemotherapy followed by craniospinal radiation then by 4 cycles of post-radiation chemotherapy. Results: Fifteen out of the 20 patients with M0 had objective response (10CR + 5PR) and no one had disease progression after pre-irradiation chemotherapy. Among 4 patients with M0 disease, 2 patients had PR and 2 had S.D. There was no disease progression among patients who received pre-irradiation chemotherapy. The 3-year overall survival and 3-year progression-free survival; (PFS) were 50% and 51 %, respectively, Myelosuppression was the main toxic effect observed during pre-irradiation chemotherapy; however, there was no delay or interruption of craniospinal irradiation. Conclusion: Pre-irradiation chemotherapy is effective in high risk medulloblastoma and is associated with acceptable side effects. The delay in craniospinal irradiation (CSI) for about 5 weeks to receive 2 courses of chemotherapy will not significantly increase disease progression. Multiple cycles of post-irradiation chemotherapy can be given safely after C51. A larger number of patients and longer follow-up is needed to confirm the results

Current approaches to improve the anticancer chemotherapy with alkylating agents: state of the problem in world and Ukraine.

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Iatsyshyna A. P.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Alkylating agents are frequently used in many established anticancer chemotherapies. They alkylate the genomic DNA at various sites. Alkylation of the guanine at the O6-position is cytotoxic, it has the strongest mutagenic potential, as well as can cause the tumor development. Alkyl groups at the O6-position of guanine are removed by the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT. The effectiveness of alkylating chemotherapy is limited by MGMT in cancer cells and adverse toxic side effects in normal cells. Different approaches consisting in the modulation of the MGMT expression and activity are under development now to improve the cancer chemotherapy. They include two main directions, in particular, the increase in chemosensitivity of cancer cells to alkylating drugs and the protection of normal cells from the toxic side effects of chemotherapy. This review is focused on current attempts to improve the alkylating chemotherapy of malignant tumours worldwide and state of the issue in Ukraine

Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia secondary to docetaxel chemotherapy: a case report

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Al-Niaimi Amjad

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Docetaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent used alone or in combination for the management of many neoplastic conditions. Numerous side effects are well described as a consequence. Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, although a relatively common side effect of some types of chemotherapy, occurs infrequently with docetaxel and is often attributed to other drug agents. Case Presentation We report the case of a 66-year-old Caucasian woman who received adjuvant docetaxel monotherapy for invasive breast cancer. She developed palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia following her first cycle of treatment, which necessitated a change in management. Conclusion Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia is a relatively common side effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy, particularly with drugs such as 5-fluorouracil, capecitabine and liposomal doxorubicin. Docetaxel is commonly used both alone and in combination with a number of these agents for the management of various malignant conditions. We would like to highlight the occurrence of palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia as a result of docetaxel monotherapy so that it can be considered as a potential cause in patients receiving combination treatment with chemotherapeutic agents better known to cause this toxicity.

Age and Gender Related Renal Side Effects of Cisplatin in Animal Model

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Pezeshki, Zahra; Maleki, Maryam; Talebi, Ardeshir; Nematbakhsh, Mehdi

2017-06-25

Backgrounds: Cisplatin (CDDP) is a choice of anti-cancer drug for cancer chemotherapy with serious side effects such as nephrotoxicity. It seems that age is an important factor influencing the side effects of CDDP. This study was designed to determine the role of age and gender simultaneously in CDDP induced renal toxicity. Methods: 40 Wistar male and female rats were assigned as 6 groups in 3 different age categories (10, 16, and 20 weeks old). The single dose of CDDP (7.5 mg/kg, ip) was administrated, and a week later measurements were performed. Results: Body weight changes in male (not in female) animals aged 16 and 20 weeks were more than 10 weeks old animals (PGender difference in serum level of Cr, BUN and nitrite, and Cr-clearance were observed in animals aged10 weeks (Pgender depended, and may be different at various ages. Creative Commons Attribution License

Clinical comparative investigation using intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with concurrent chemotherapy for the local advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

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Zhao Yingchao; Dai Xiaofang; Wu Gang; Zhao Yanxia; Luo Ming

2009-01-01

Objective: To research the early effects and side-effects of the local advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with concurrent chemotherapy. Methods: From January 2005 to January 2007, 60 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma of stage m-IV b were received IMRT combined with concurrent chemotherapy in our center. Sixty patients were divided into paclitaxel concurrent group (32 patients) and cisplatin concurrent group (28 patients). The prescribing doses of the primary tumor were 68-72 Gy for each group. The patients of paclitaxel concurrent group received 5-7 times pacitaxel liposome chemotherapy of 30 mg · m -2 ·. The patients of cisplatin concurrent group received 5-7 times cisplatin chemotherapy of 30 mg · m -2 · week -1 . Results: As to the side-effects, the patients of the cisplatin concurrent group got earlier radiodermatitis and radiation-induced mucositis but also got significantly higher rate of radiodermatitis, radiation-induced mucositis, radiation-induced leucopenia and gastrointestinal toxicity, as well as the loss of weight. No significant difference was found on liver and renal functions between two groups.Four patients (12.5%) of the paclitaxel concurrent group were broken-off, which was much better than the cisplatin concurrent group. There was no significant difference on the specific length of break-off time, the 2-year overall survival rate and the 2-year diseaee-free survival rate between two groups. Conclusions: IMRT combined with concurrent chemotherapy of paclitaxel liposome for local advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma results in less side-effects and better tolerance than IMRT combined with concurrent cisplatin chemotherapy. (authors)

Side Effects (Management)

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... cancer care is relieving side effects, called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. It is important ... treat them. To learn about the symptoms and management of the long-term side effects of cancer ...

Palliative chemotherapy: The perspectives and experiences of south african nurses

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Johanna Elizabeth Maree

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the perspectives and experiences of South African nurses caring for patients receiving palliative chemotherapy. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used and purposive sampling allowed us to select 11 nurses practising in a private ambulatory cancer care center in Port Elizabeth. In-depth interviews, guided by three broad themes were conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analyses. Data saturation determined the sample size. Results: Two themes emerged from the data – the patients cling to hope and the positive influence of palliative chemotherapy. The participants believed that patients consenting to palliative chemotherapy were clinging to false hope. They were also of the opinion that family members pressurize patients to consent to treatment. The participants experienced palliative chemotherapy positively, especially when an improvement in the patients' quality of life or pain relief was evident. Fatigue was highlighted as the major side effect, but it did not temper the participants' positive attitudes toward the treatment. Conclusions: Although the participants believed that patients cling to hope and consent to palliative chemotherapy because they hope to be cured, they experienced the treatment as positive. For them, the improvement in pain and quality of life outweighed the side effects the patients experienced. The positive attitude patients upheld while receiving this treatment encouraged them. Nurses should gain more knowledge about the meaning, people living with advanced cancer, attach to hope to prevent them from interpreting patients' hope as denial and false.

Interdisciplinary documentation of treatment side effects in oncology. Present status and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seegenschmiedt, M.H.

1998-01-01

Background: The documentation of acute and chronic treatment sequelae is a decisive precondition for the appropriate evaluation of the treatment quality of any cancer therapy. Methods and results: Interdisciplinary (inter)national efforts have resulted in a new consensus for recording of treatment sequelae in oncology. While the acute treatment side effects (day 1 to 90 after treatment) are recommended to be documented and evaluated using the Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC), for the chronic treatment side effects (day 91 and thereafter) the Late Effect Normal Tissue (LENT) criteria are to be implemented. The latter classification system allows to differentiate between the Subjective, Objective, Management and Analytic (SOMA) toxicity aspects. Both classification systems can be implemented not only for clinical applications using radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone but also for combinations with each other or with other treatment modalities. This allows for an effective interdisciplinary comparison between different treatment concepts not only within each institution but also in multicenter trials. Conclusions: Prospective documentation and evaluation of treatment toxicity in oncology should be intensified and systematically included in future mono- and multi-institutional clinical trials. (orig.) [de

The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Pain and Fatigue of Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

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Aghabati, Nahid; Pour Esmaiel, Zahra

2010-01-01

Despite major advances in pain management, cancer pain is managed poorly in 80% of the patients with cancer. Due to deleterious side effects of pharmacology therapy in these people, there is an urgent need for clinical trials of non-pharmacological interventions. To examine the effect of therapeutic touch (TT) on the pain and fatigue of the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a randomized and three-groups experimental study—experimental (TT), placebo (placebo TT), and control (usual care)—was carried out. Ninety patients undergoing chemotherapy, exhibiting pain and fatigue of cancer, were randomized into one of the three groups in the Cancer Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Pain and fatigue were measured and recorded by participants before and after the intervention for 5 days (once a day). The intervention consisted of 30 min TT given once a day for 5 days between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain and the Rhoten Fatigue Scale (RFS) were completed for 5 days before and after the intervention by the subjects. The TT (significant) was more effective in decreasing pain and fatigue of the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy than the usual care group, while the placebo group indicated a decreasing trend in pain and fatigue scores compared with the usual care group. PMID:18955319

Medications and Side Effects

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... to fully work. You might feel some side effects of your medication before your feel the benefits – ... as sleepiness, anxiety or headache) is a side effect or a symptom of your illness. Many side ...

Chemotherapy for head and neck cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfister, David G.

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The role of chemotherapy in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract is undergoing rapid evolution. Historically, the use of chemotherapy was limited to patients with incurable disease who had exhausted all surgical and radiation therapy options. The results of recent randomized trials, however, suggest an increasing role for chemotherapy as part of primary management in patients with unresectable disease; advanced larynx or hypopharynx cancer with the intent of larynx preservation, or advanced nasopharynx cancer. This refresher course will provide a comprehensive overview of the current indications for chemotherapy in the management of these malignancies, and will highlight areas of controversy and future directions of investigation. More specifically, the following areas will be emphasized. 1. The identification of drugs commonly used in the management of head and neck cancer, their customary dosing and side effects. 2. The impact of induction and/or adjuvant chemotherapy combined with surgery and radiation therapy as defined by randomized trials, including a discussion of the Head and Neck Contracts program and the Intergroup adjuvant trial. 3. The development of larynx/function preservation treatment programs, including a review of the Veterans Administration and EORTC larynx preservation studies. 4. The evolving role of chemotherapy as part of innovative combined modality programs, especially in patients with unresectable disease. The rationale and utility of sequential versus concomitant/alternating chemotherapy-radiation strategies, and relevant randomized clinical trials comparing the different strategies will be discussed. 5. The appropriate application of chemotherapy in the palliative setting, including a discussion of the relative merits of single-agent versus combination chemotherapy

Chemotherapy for head and neck cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfister, David G.

1995-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The role of chemotherapy in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract is undergoing rapid evolution. Historically, the use of chemotherapy was limited to patients with incurable disease who had exhausted all surgical and radiation therapy options. The results of recent randomized trials, however, suggest an increasing role for chemotherapy as part of primary management in patients seeking to avoid potentially morbid surgical procedures or with unresectable disease. This refresher course will provide a comprehensive overview of the current indications for chemotherapy in the management of these malignancies, and will highlight areas of controversy and future directions of investigation. More specifically, the following areas will be emphasized. 1. The identification of drugs commonly used in the management of head and neck cancer, their customary dosing and side effects. 2. The impact of induction and/or adjuvant chemotherapy combined with surgery and radiation therapy as defined by randomized trials, including a discussion of the Head and Neck Contracts program and the Intergroup adjuvant trial. 3. The development of larynx/function preservation treatment programs, including a review of the Memorial Hospital experience with larynx preservation and the Veterans Administration larynx preservation study. 4. The evolving role of chemotherapy as part of innovative combined modality programs, especially in patients with unresectable disease. The rationale and utility of sequential versus concomitant/alternating chemotherapy-radiation strategies, and relevant randomized clinical trials comparing the different strategies will be discussed. 5. The appropriate application of chemotherapy in the palliative setting, including a discussion of the relative merits of single-agent versus combination chemotherapy

Light-Controlled Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibitors : Towards Photopharmacological Chemotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Szymanski, Wiktor; Ourailidou, Maria E.; Velema, Willem A.; Dekker, Frank J.; Feringa, Ben L.

2015-01-01

Cancer treatment suffers from limitations that have a major impact on the patient's quality of life and survival. In the case of chemotherapy, the systemic distribution of cytotoxic drugs reduces their efficacy and causes severe side effects due to nonselective toxicity. Photopharmacology allows a

[A Case of Transverse Colon Cancer with Liver Metastasis and Tumor Thrombosis of Portal Vein Effectively Treated with Chemotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Aida, Toshiaki; Shiobara, Masayuki; Wakatsuki, Kazuo; Arai, Shuka; Suda, Kosuke; Miyazawa, Kotaro; Miyoshi, Tetsutaro; Takahashi, Yoshihisa; Yoshioka, Shigeru

2018-02-01

The patient was a 70-year-old man. He was diagnosed with advanced transverse colon cancer. A computed tomography (CT)revealed liver metastasis and tumor thrombosis of portal vein. We started combination chemotherapy with capecita- bine/oxaliplatin(CapeOX). Perforation of the tumor was observed 5 days after CapeOX therapy was started. Treatment with abscess drainage and ileostmy, infection was controlled and general condition was improved. After 9 courses of CapeOX, we changed chemotherapy regimen to irinotecan/tegafur-gimeracil-oteracilpotassium (IRIS)due to strong side effects. In CT and FDG-PET examination after 8 courses of IRIS, the tumor of transverse colon, liver metastasis, and the tumor thrombosis of portalvein became unclear. A year and 6 months have passed since chemotherapy was started, recurrence was not observed. For the patients with unresectable colorectal cancer, it is necessary to consider multidisciplinary treatments including chemotherapy while considering the general condition of them.

Chemoprevention, chemotherapy, and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Marin, Jose J G; Sanchez de Medina, Fermin; Castaño, Beatriz; Bujanda, Luis; Romero, Marta R; Martinez-Augustin, Olga; Moral-Avila, Rosario Del; Briz, Oscar

2012-05-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in industrialized countries. Chemoprevention is a promising approach, but studies demonstrating their usefulness in large populations are still needed. Among several compounds with chemopreventive ability, cyclooxygenase inhibitors have received particular attention. However, these agents are not without side effects, which must be weighed against their beneficial actions. Early diagnosis is critical in the management of CRC patients, because, in early stages, surgery is curative in >90% of cases. If diagnosis occurs at stages II and III, which is often the case, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery are, in a few cases, recommended. Because of the high risk of recurrence in advanced cancers, chemotherapy is maintained after tumor resection. Chemotherapy is also indicated when the patient has metastases and in advanced cancer located in the rectum. In the last decade, the use of anticancer drugs in monotherapy or in combined regimens has markedly increased the survival of patients with CRC at stages III and IV. Although the rate of success is higher than in other gastrointestinal tumors, adverse effects and development of chemoresistance are important limitations to pharmacological therapy. Genetic profiling regarding mechanisms of chemoresistance are needed to carry out individualized prediction of the lack of effectiveness of pharmacological regimens. This would minimize side effects and prevent the selection of aggressive, cross-resistant clones, as well as avoiding undesirable delays in the use of the most efficient therapeutic approaches to treat these patients.

Radiation Therapy Side Effects

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Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells, it can also affect nearby healthy cells. Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue. Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated. Learn more about possible side effects.

Combination of bronchial artery infusion chemotherapy and radiation therapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Shuping; Cai Yuecheng; Wang Xiangming; Luo Jianyun; Lian Yingni; Ouyang Mingxin

2004-01-01

Objective: To compare the efficacy between bronchial artery infusion (BAI) chemotherapy plus radiation therapy and systemic chemotherapy plus radiation for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: One hundred and twenty-one patients with stage III NSCLC were randomized into treatment group (58 cases) and control group (63 cases). In the treatment group, all patients were administered with BAI for 2-3 sessions, followed by irradiation 4-7 days after BAI. In the control group, altogether 4-6 cycles of standard systemic chemotherapy were given. Radiation was delivered alternately between the cycles of chemotherapy. Results: The short-term, long-term survival, median response duration and median survival time were similar between the two groups, except patients with stage IIIb who had a higher distant metastasis rate in the treatment group. The major side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy were hematological, gastrointestinal toxicities, pneumonitis, mediastinitis, and esophagitis, respectively. The side effects were milder, better tolerated and did not influence the regimen schedule in the treatment group, as compared with the control group. Seven patients withdrew from the control group, and in 28 patients, the scheduled chemotherapy and radiation was delayed or canceled. Conclusions: Bronchial artery infusion plus radiation is more advantageous over systemic chemotherapy plus radiation in less toxicities, better compliance, shorter treatment courses and more cost-effectiveness

Prognosis after acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. [Side effects of radiotherapy

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Howarth, C B

1975-04-01

Following chemotherapy of lymphoblastic leukemia in children with folic acid antagonists, remission is achieved in 94 percent of patients. After chemotherapy has been stopped the risk of relapse is greatest during the first year, but relapses do occur. Sequelae of radiotherapy include bone growth impairment, brain cell damage, radioinduced neoplasms, and immunosuppression. Adverse effects of chemotherapy include hepatic fibrosis, impaired gonadal development, and oncogenic effects. (HLW)

New Insights into Potential Prevention and Management Options for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

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Janet Schloss

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Neurological complications such as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN and neuropathic pain are frequent side effects of neurotoxic chemotherapy agents. An increasing survival rate and frequent administration of adjuvant chemotherapy treatments involving neurotoxic agents makes it imperative that accurate diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these neurological complications be implemented. Methods: A consideration was undertaken of the current options regarding protective and treatment interventions for patients undergoing chemotherapy with neurotoxic chemotherapy agent or experience with CIPN. Current knowledge on the mechanism of action has also been identified. The following databases PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, CNKI, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant article retrieval. Results: A range of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and herbal medicine treatments were identified that either showed efficacy or had some evidence of efficacy. Duloxetine was the most effective pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of CIPN. Vitamin E demonstrated potential for the prevention of cisplatin-IPN. Intravenous glutathione for oxaliplatin, Vitamin B6 for both oxaliplatin and cisplatin, and omega 3 fatty acids for paclitaxel have shown protection for CIPN. Acetyl-L-carnitine may provide some relief as a treatment option. Acupuncture may be of benefit for some patients and Gosha-jinki-gan may be of benefit for protection from adverse effects of oxaliplatin induced peripheral neuropathy. Conclusions: Clinicians and researchers acknowledge that there are numerous challenges involved in understanding, preventing, and treating peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapeutic agents. New insights into mechanisms of action from chemotherapy agents may facilitate the development of novel preventative and treatment options, thereby enabling medical staff to better support patients by

Changes in the gastric potential difference during chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabrin, B; Højgaard, L; Mouridsen, H T

1991-01-01

Nausea and vomiting are frequent side-effects of intravenous cancer chemotherapy. How these complications were related to the gastric mucosal function was investigated by measuring the gastric mucosal potential difference (PD). Eight patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving chemotherapy...... were investigated. The liquid junction-corrected gastric PD and pH were measured with a newly developed microelectrode. The measurements started half an hour before chemotherapy and continued for 4-5 hours. Nausea, vomiting, psychological stress and sleeping episodes were registered. The initial PD...

Synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography and histomorphometry for evaluation of chemotherapy effects in trabecular bone structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alessio, R; Almeida, A P; Braz, D; Nogueira, L P; Colaço, M V; Barroso, R C; Andrade, C B V; Salata, C; De Almeida, C E; Ferreira-Machado, S C; Tromba, G

2014-01-01

Three-dimensional microtomography has the potential to examine complete bones of small laboratory animals with very high resolution in a non-invasive way. One of the side effects caused by some chemotherapy drugs is the induction of amenorrhea, temporary or not, in premenopausal women, with a consequent decrease in estrogen production, which can lead to bone changes. In the present work, the femur heads of rats treated with chemotherapy drugs were evaluated by 3D histomorphometry using synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography. Control animals were also evaluated for comparison. The 3D tomographic images were obtained at the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline at the Elettra Synchrotron Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. Results showed significant differences in morphometric parameters measured from the 3D images of femur heads of rats in both analyzed groups.

Synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography and histomorphometry for evaluation of chemotherapy effects in trabecular bone structure

Science.gov (United States)

Alessio, R.; Nogueira, L. P.; Almeida, A. P.; Colaço, M. V.; Braz, D.; Andrade, C. B. V.; Salata, C.; Ferreira-Machado, S. C.; de Almeida, C. E.; Tromba, G.; Barroso, R. C.

2014-04-01

Three-dimensional microtomography has the potential to examine complete bones of small laboratory animals with very high resolution in a non-invasive way. One of the side effects caused by some chemotherapy drugs is the induction of amenorrhea, temporary or not, in premenopausal women, with a consequent decrease in estrogen production, which can lead to bone changes. In the present work, the femur heads of rats treated with chemotherapy drugs were evaluated by 3D histomorphometry using synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography. Control animals were also evaluated for comparison. The 3D tomographic images were obtained at the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline at the Elettra Synchrotron Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. Results showed significant differences in morphometric parameters measured from the 3D images of femur heads of rats in both analyzed groups.

Etravirine: a good option for concomitant use with chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurz, Mario; Stoeckle, Marcel; Krasniqi, Fatime; Battegay, Manuel; Marzolini, Catia

2015-03-01

The treatment of malignancies in HIV patients is challenged by the issue of drug-drug interactions between antiretroviral therapy and antineoplastic agents. While protease inhibitors have been shown to increase the incidence and severity of cancer therapy-related side effects, the impact of other antiretroviral agents on the tolerability and response to chemotherapy is less well documented. We report the successful use of an etravirine-based regimen in a patient treated with BEACOPP chemotherapy for advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma. Etravirine constitutes a valuable option for concomitant use with chemotherapy due to its moderate inducing effect on drug metabolising enzymes. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Induction chemotherapy for locoregional lung cancer using paclitaxel combination. A preliminary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takita, H.; Pitoniak, R.F.

2000-01-01

Induction chemotherapy has been reported to be effective in treatment of locally advanced, borderline resectable, (Stage III), non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). A logical extension of the indication for the induction chemotherapy may be to treat earlier stage resectable lung cancers (stages I and II) because the cure rate of the resectable lung cancers still remains poor and is below 60% except for stage I A. Thirty eight patients with a diagnosis of loco-regional NSCLC were treated with paclitaxel combination chemotherapy. Following two courses of induction chemotherapy, patients underwent surgical therapy whenever possible. There ten patients with stage I disease, four patients with stage II, 13 with stage IIIA, nine had stage IIIB, and two with stage IV. An overall response rate of 74% was observed. The response rate for 14 resectable patients (stage I and II) was 86%. The chemotherapy regimen was well tolerated and apart from one instance of anaphylaxis, no serious side effects were observed

[Effects of individualized nutritional education programs on the level of nutrient intake and nutritional status of colorectal cancer patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kwi Ock; Choi-Kwon, Smi

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an individualized nutritional education programs on nutrient intake and nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer who are undergoing palliative chemotherapy. Forty patients with colorectal cancer (19 experimental and 21 control patients) were recruited from a chemotherapy ward at S University Hospital in Seoul, Korea. The experimental group received two individualized nutritional counseling sessions and two telephone counseling sessions over 6 weeks. The control group received nutritional counseling after completion of data collection. Nutritional education included general guidelines for food intake while receiving chemotherapy, dietary guidelines for patients with colorectal cancer, daily meal schedules to overcome cancer, and dietary guideline for each chemotherapy side effect. Data were analyzed using χ²-test and t-test with the SPSS program 17.0. Two group comparison revealed that the experimental group had significantly improved calorie (p=.038) and total protein intake (p=.001), and serum albumin percentage change (p=.040). Body weight did not increase but remained the same as the baseline in both groups. Study results indicate that this individualized nutritional education programs are effective in enhancing nutrient intake and nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer who are undergoing palliative chemotherapy.

Exercise despite pain – breast cancer patient experiences of muscle and joint pain during adjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent participation in an exercise intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Christina; Rørth, M; Ejlertsen, B

2014-01-01

Chemotherapy-related pain is a well-known side effect in cancer patient receiving chemotherapy. However, limited knowledge exists describing whether exercise exacerbates existing pain. Aim of the research was to explore muscle and joint pain experienced by women with breast cancer receiving...... intervention comprised supervised training: high-intensity cardiovascular, heavy resistance and relaxation, massage and body-awareness (9 h weekly, 6 weeks). The analysis revealed five categories: Abrupt pain - a predominant side effect, cogitated pain management, the adapted training, non......-immediate exacerbation of pain and summarised into the essence of chemotherapy related muscle and joint pain in exercise breast cancer patients; exercise despite pain. Findings indicate that the patients' perception of sudden onset of chemotherapy-related muscle and joint pain was not aggravated by training. Pain...

Prospective randomized trail on chrono-chemotherapy + late course three dimensional conformal radio-therapy and conventional chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Feng; Ouyang Jinling; Dong Hongmin; Wu Weili; Chen Haixia; He Zhihui

2005-01-01

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects, toxic side effects of late-course three dimensional conformal radiotherapy plus chrono-chemotherapy (DDP + 5-FU/CF) and conventional radiotherapy plus chemotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Eighty -six NPC patients admitted from Feb. 2001 to Jan. 2002 were divided randomly into two groups: 1. Chrono-chemotherapy + late course three dimensional conformal radiotherapy(CCR) group-44 patients were treated by late course three dimensional conformal radio-therapy plus chrono-chemotherapy, and 2. Routine-chemotherapy-radiotherapy (RCR) group-42 patients were treated by routine chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. The patients in CCR and RCR group were comparable in age, KPS, stage and pathology. All patients were treated by combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with chemotherapy stared 2 weeks ahead of radiotherapy. Chemotherapy: Braun pump was used in all drug infusions; 1. CCR group-DDP 80 mg/ m 2 starting from 10:00 until 22:00, 5-Fu 750 mg/d/m 2 starting from 22:00 until 10:00 next day, CF 200 mg/d/m 2 starting from 10:00 every day, infused at normal speed. These drugs were given for 3 days, 14 days as one cycle, totally 2 cycle, and 2. RCR group-with the same drugs at the same total dose, only with the difference being DDP and CF given QD, starting from 10:00 but at the normal speed. 5-Fu was given through-out the day and continuously for 3 days, totally for 2 cycles. Radiotherapy: linear accelerator irradiation was given to either group. Composite facio-cervical field + anterior cervical tangential field to D T 40 Gy/4w, followed by the coned down per-auricular field plus anterior tangential field or β beam irradiation. In CCR group, after D T 40gy/4w, late course 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) was used to add D T 30Gy/3w. In RCR group, routine radiotherapy of 40 Gy/w was supplemented with 30 Gy/3w. The total dose in either group was 70 Gy/7w at the nasopharynx, D T 60-70 Gy/6-7w at the

Cognitive effects of chemotherapy and/or cranial irradiation in adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welzel, G.; Wenz, F.; Steinvorth, S.

2005-01-01

Background: cognitive effects after cranial radiotherapy are widely discussed, but there is growing evidence that chemotherapy may also induce changes in neuropsychological functioning. This review summarizes the published literature regarding cognitive functioning after cancer therapy in adult patients. Material and methods: 63 reports from January 1980 to July 2003 assessing objective cognitive effects of irradiation and/or chemotherapy by neuropsychologic evaluation were analyzed. 57 studies with 3,424 patients were included for evaluation. Results: the results of this review confirm that both chemotherapy and irradiation can result in cognitive deficits. No clinically relevant differences are found for cognitive deficits, cognitive impairment rate, and single cognitive domains, when chemotherapy, cranial irradiation and combined radio- and chemotherapy were compared. Only 28 trials with 1,000 patients report quantitative data on patients with cognitive deficits after therapy. There are 44.1% (range 18-75%) of 451 patients in the chemotherapy group, 44.0% (range 29-83%) of 320 patients in the radiotherapy group, and 64.5% (range 30-100%) of 229 patients in the combined irradiation and chemotherapy group with cognitive deficits. Furthermore, cognitive functioning below average before chemo- or radiotherapy is found in subgroups of cancer patients. Conclusion: there is evidence of cognitive impairment in adult tumor patients after chemotherapy similar to effects after cranial irradiation. Cognitive functioning below average before therapy may be due to paraneoplastic effects. More prospective studies with a long-term follow-up using standardized neuropsychometric testing, assessment of premorbid intelligence, and suited control groups are needed. (orig.)

Chemotherapy-Induced Constipation and Diarrhea: Pathophysiology, Current and Emerging Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

McQuade, Rachel M.; Stojanovska, Vanesa; Abalo, Raquel; Bornstein, Joel C.; Nurgali, Kulmira

2016-01-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) side-effects of chemotherapy are a debilitating and often overlooked clinical hurdle in cancer management. Chemotherapy-induced constipation (CIC) and Diarrhea (CID) present a constant challenge in the efficient and tolerable treatment of cancer and are amongst the primary contributors to dose reductions, delays and cessation of treatment. Although prevalence of CIC is hard to estimate, it is believed to affect approximately 16% of cancer patients, whilst incidence of CID has been estimated to be as high as 80%. Despite this, the underlying mechanisms of both CID and CIC remain unclear, but are believed to result from a combination of intersecting mechanisms including inflammation, secretory dysfunctions, GI dysmotility and alterations in GI innervation. Current treatments for CIC and CID aim to reduce the severity of symptoms rather than combating the pathophysiological mechanisms of dysfunction, and often result in worsening of already chronic GI symptoms or trigger the onset of a plethora of other side-effects including respiratory depression, uneven heartbeat, seizures, and neurotoxicity. Emerging treatments including those targeting the enteric nervous system present promising avenues to alleviate CID and CIC. Identification of potential targets for novel therapies to alleviate chemotherapy-induced toxicity is essential to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life amongst cancer sufferers. PMID:27857691

Nutraceuticals and chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Schloss, Janet M; Colosimo, Maree; Airey, Caroline; Masci, Paul P; Linnane, Anthony W; Vitetta, Luis

2013-12-01

Chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy [CIPN] is a common significant and debilitating side effect resulting from the administration of neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. These pharmaco-chemotherapeutics can include taxanes, vinca alkaloids and others. Moderate to severe CIPN significantly decreases the quality of life and physical abilities of cancer patients and current pharmacotherapy for CIPN e.g. Amifostine and antidepressants have had limited efficacy and may themselves induce adverse side effects. To determine the potential use of nutraceuticals i.e. vitamin E, acetyl-L-carnitine, glutamine, glutathione, vitamin B6, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, calcium, alpha lipoic acid and n-acetyl cysteine as adjuvants in cancer treatments a systematic literature review was conducted. Revised clinical studies comprised of randomized clinical trials that investigated the anti-CIPN effect of nutraceuticals as the adjuvant intervention in patients administered chemotherapy. Twenty-four studies were assessed on methodological quality and limitations identified. Studies were mixed in their recommendations for nutraceuticals. Currently no agent has shown solid beneficial evidence to be recommended for the treatment or prophylaxis of CIPN. The standard of care for CIPN includes dose reduction and/or discontinuation of chemotherapy treatment. The management of CIPN remains an important challenge and future studies are warranted before recommendations for the use of supplements can be made. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Intrathecal chemotherapy for refractory disseminated medulloblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimura, Junichi; Nishiyama, Kenichi; Mori, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Hideaki; Fujii, Yukihiko

2008-05-01

To analyze the effect of intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy for disseminated medulloblastoma. Twenty-one patients received IT chemotherapy using the chemotherapeutic agents of methotrexate (MTX) and nitrosoureas (ACNU, MCNU) including nine patients for residual leptomeningeal lesions after initial surgery and radiation, and 12 for a recurrence with leptomeningeal dissemination. Of these 21 patients, 12 received a lumbar and/or ventricular bolus injection of the chemotherapeutic agents, one received the ventriculolumbar perfusion of the agents, and eight received both the perfusion and bolus injection. The doses ranged from 6-7 mg/m(2) of ACNU for perfusion and 3-3.5 mg/m(2) of ACNU, MCNU, or MTX for the bolus injection, and the cycles were administered from 3 to 12 times for perfusion and from 5 to 54 times for the bolus injection. The effects of chemotherapy were assessed by both radiological and cytological examinations, and the clinical symptoms were also assessed. Radiological and/or cytological responses were observed in 10 of 21 patients (47.6%), including seven cases demonstrating a complete remission. The 5-year overall survival rate and 5-year survival rate after dissemination were 61.5 and 46.4%, respectively. Five patients who received a lumbar bolus injection of nitrosoureas experienced paraplegia and double incontinence. One patient who received a ventricular injection of nitrosoureas experienced truncal ataxia. IT chemotherapy was found to be effective in some cases with refractory disseminated medulloblastoma and it seems to be an appropriate treatment choice for leptomeningeal recurrence. However, the frequent bolus injections of nitrosoureas should be avoided to prevent the side effects.

Melatonin and Fertoprotective Adjuvants: Prevention against Premature Ovarian Failure during Chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Hoon; Hong, Kwonho; Choi, Youngsok

2017-06-07

Premature ovarian failure is one of the side effects of chemotherapy in pre-menopausal cancer patients. Preservation of fertility has become increasingly important in improving the quality of life of completely recovered cancer patients. Among the possible strategies for preserving fertility such as ovarian tissue cryopreservation, co-treatment with a pharmacological adjuvant is highly effective and poses less of a burden on the human body. Melatonin is generally produced in various tissues and acts as a universally acting antioxidant in cells. Melatonin is now more widely used in various biological processes including treating insomnia and an adjuvant during chemotherapy. In this review, we summarize the information indicating that melatonin may be useful for reducing and preventing premature ovarian failure in chemotherapy-treated female patients. We also mention that many adjuvants other than melatonin are developed and used to inhibit chemotherapy-induced infertility. This information will give us novel insights on the clinical use of melatonin and other agents as fertoprotective adjuvants for female cancer patients.

Ifosfamide, mesna and epirubicin as second-line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiraz, S; Baltali, E; Güler, N; Barista, I; Benekli, M; Celik, I; Güllü, I H; Kars, A; Tekuzman, G; Firat, D

1996-08-01

The ifosfamide, mesna and epirubicin (IMEpi) combination is administered to 16 patients having advanced metastatic breast carcinoma as second-line chemotherapy. We observed complete response in 6%, partial response in 44% (total overall response rate of 50%), stable disease in 12% and progressive disease in the remaining 38% of the patients. The median remission duration in responders was calculated to be 9.6 months. IMEpi regimen had a tolerable toxicity profile including alopecia, nausea and vomiting, microscopic hematuria, leukopenia and neurotoxicity in which serious complications necessitating discontinuation of the chemotherapy were not encountered. It might be concluded that IMEpi chemotherapy combination is an effective alternative among schedules in the management of patients with stage IV breast carcinoma without serious side effects.

[A Case of Pathological Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy(S-1 plus Oxaliplatin)and Laparoscopic Low Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Ichinohe, Daichi; Morohashi, Hajime; Umetsu, Satoko; Yoshida, Tatsuya; Wakasa, Yusuke; Odagiri, Tadashi; Kimura, Toshirou; Suto, Akiko; Saito, Takeshi; Yoshida, Eri; Akasaka, Harue; Jin, Hiroyuki; Miura, Takuya; Sakamoto, Yoshiyuki; Hakamada, Kenichi

2016-11-01

We report a case of pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)(S-1 plus oxaliplatin)for rectal cancer. The patient was a 50-year-old man who had type 3 circumferential rectal cancer. An abdominal CT scan revealed locally advanced rectal cancer(cT3N2H0P0M0, cStage III b)with severe stenosis and oral-side intestinal dilatation. The patient was treated with NAC after loop-ileostomy. After 3 courses of chemotherapy, a CT scan revealed significant tumor reduction. Laparoscopic low anterior resection and bilateral lymph node dissection were performed 5 weeks after the last course of chemotherapy. The pathological diagnosis was a pathological complete response(no residual cancer cells). This case suggests that laparoscopic low anterior resection after NAC with S-1 plus oxaliplatin for locally advanced rectal cancer is a potentially effective procedure.

Immune Modulation by Chemotherapy or Immunotherapy to Enhance Cancer Vaccines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weir, Genevieve M. [Suite 411, 1344 Summer St., Immunovaccine Inc., Halifax, NS, B3H 0A8 (Canada); Room 11-L1, Sir Charles Tupper Building, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS, B3H 1X5 (Canada); Liwski, Robert S. [Room 11-L1, Sir Charles Tupper Building, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS, B3H 1X5 (Canada); Room 206E, Dr. D. J. Mackenzie Building, Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, 5788 University Avenue, Halifax, NS, B3H 2Y9 (Canada); Mansour, Marc [Suite 411, 1344 Summer St., Immunovaccine Inc., Halifax, NS, B3H 0A8 (Canada)

2011-08-05

Chemotherapy has been a mainstay in cancer treatment for many years. Despite some success, the cure rate with chemotherapy remains unsatisfactory in some types of cancers, and severe side effects from these treatments are a concern. Recently, understanding of the dynamic interplay between the tumor and immune system has led to the development of novel immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines. Cancer vaccines have many advantageous features, but their use has been hampered by poor immunogenicity. Many developments have increased their potency in pre-clinical models, but cancer vaccines continue to have a poor clinical track record. In part, this could be due to an inability to effectively overcome tumor-induced immune suppression. It had been generally assumed that immune-stimulatory cancer vaccines could not be used in combination with immunosuppressive chemotherapies, but recent evidence has challenged this dogma. Chemotherapies could be used to condition the immune system and tumor to create an environment where cancer vaccines have a better chance of success. Other types of immunotherapies could also be used to modulate the immune system. This review will discuss how immune modulation by chemotherapy or immunotherapy could be used to bolster the effects of cancer vaccines and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these treatments.

Immune Modulation by Chemotherapy or Immunotherapy to Enhance Cancer Vaccines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weir, Genevieve M.; Liwski, Robert S.; Mansour, Marc

2011-01-01

Chemotherapy has been a mainstay in cancer treatment for many years. Despite some success, the cure rate with chemotherapy remains unsatisfactory in some types of cancers, and severe side effects from these treatments are a concern. Recently, understanding of the dynamic interplay between the tumor and immune system has led to the development of novel immunotherapies, including cancer vaccines. Cancer vaccines have many advantageous features, but their use has been hampered by poor immunogenicity. Many developments have increased their potency in pre-clinical models, but cancer vaccines continue to have a poor clinical track record. In part, this could be due to an inability to effectively overcome tumor-induced immune suppression. It had been generally assumed that immune-stimulatory cancer vaccines could not be used in combination with immunosuppressive chemotherapies, but recent evidence has challenged this dogma. Chemotherapies could be used to condition the immune system and tumor to create an environment where cancer vaccines have a better chance of success. Other types of immunotherapies could also be used to modulate the immune system. This review will discuss how immune modulation by chemotherapy or immunotherapy could be used to bolster the effects of cancer vaccines and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these treatments

[Psychoanalysis and Side Effect].

Science.gov (United States)

Shirahase, Joichiro

2015-01-01

A study of psychoanalysis from the perspective of side effects reveals that its history was a succession of measures to deal with its own side effects. This, however, does not merely suggest that, as a treatment method, psychoanalysis is incomplete and weak: rather, its history is a record of the growth and development of psychoanalysis that discovered therapeutic significance from phenomena that were initially regarded as side effects, made use of these discoveries, and elaborated them as a treatment method. The approach of research seen during the course of these developments is linked to the basic therapeutic approach of psychoanalysis. A therapist therefore does not draw conclusions about a patient's words and behaviors from a single aspect, but continues to make efforts to actively discover a variety of meanings and values from them, and to make the patient's life richer and more productive. This therapeutic approach is undoubtedly one of the unique aspects of psychoanalysis. I discuss the issue of psychoanalysis and side effects with the aim of clarifying this unique characteristic of psychoanalysis. The phenomenon called resistance inevitably emerges during the process of psychoanalytic treatment. Resistance can not only obstruct the progress of therapy; it also carries the risk of causing a variety of disadvantages to the patient. It can therefore be seen as an adverse effect. However, if we re-examine this phenomenon from the perspective of transference, we find that resistance is in fact a crucial tool in psychoanalysis, and included in its main effect, rather than a side effect. From the perspective of minimizing the character of resistance as a side effect and maximizing its character as a main effect, I have reviewed logical organization, dynamic evaluation, the structuring of treatment, the therapist's attitudes, and the training of therapists. I conclude by stating that psychoanalysis has aspects that do not match the perspective known as a side

When Combined with Chemotherapy, Bevacizumab Is Associated with Increased Risk of Death

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer patients who receive the targeted therapy bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with chemotherapy are at increased risk of serious side effects that may lead to death, according to a meta-analysis of 16 clinical trials that was published February 2,

Time course of late rectal- and urinary bladder side effects after MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy for cervical cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Georg, P.; Georg, D.; Poetter, R.; Doerr, W. [Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien (Austria). Dept. of Radiooncology; Medical University Vienna (Austria). Christian Doppler Laboratory for Medical Radiation Research for Radiation Oncology; Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien (Austria). Comprehensive Cancer Centre; Boni, A.; Ghabuous, A. [Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien (Austria). Dept. of Radiooncology; Goldner, G.; Schmid, M.P. [Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien (Austria). Dept. of Radiooncology; Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien (Austria). Comprehensive Cancer Centre

2013-07-15

Background and purpose: To analyze the time course of late rectal- and urinary bladder complications after brachytherapy for cervical cancer and to compare the incidence- and prevalence rates thereof. Patients and methods: A total of 225 patients were treated with external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided brachytherapy with or without chemotherapy. Late side effects were assessed prospectively using the Late Effects in Normal Tissue - Subjective, Objective, Management and Analytic (LENT/SOMA) scale. The parameters analyzed were time to onset, duration, actuarial incidence- (occurrence of new side effects during a defined time period) and prevalence rates (side effects existing at a defined time point). Results: Median follow-up was 44 months. Side effects (grade 1-4) in rectum and bladder were present in 31 and 49 patients, 14 and 27 months (mean time to onset) after treatment, respectively. All rectal and 76 % of bladder side effects occurred within 3 years after radiotherapy. Mean duration of rectal events was 19 months; 81 % resolved within 3 years of their initial diagnosis. Mean duration of bladder side effects was 20 months; 61 % resolved within 3 years. The 3- and 5-year actuarial complication rates were 16 and 19 % in rectum and 18 and 28 % in bladder, respectively. The corresponding prevalence rates were 9 and 2 % (rectum) and 18 and 21 % (bladder), respectively. Conclusion: Late side effects after cervical cancer radiotherapy are partially reversible, but their time course is organ-dependent. The combined presentation of incidence- and prevalence rates provides the most comprehensive information. (orig.)

Time course of late rectal- and urinary bladder side effects after MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy for cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georg, P.; Georg, D.; Poetter, R.; Doerr, W.; Medical University Vienna; Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien; Boni, A.; Ghabuous, A.; Goldner, G.; Schmid, M.P.; Medical University Vienna/ AKH Wien

2013-01-01

Background and purpose: To analyze the time course of late rectal- and urinary bladder complications after brachytherapy for cervical cancer and to compare the incidence- and prevalence rates thereof. Patients and methods: A total of 225 patients were treated with external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided brachytherapy with or without chemotherapy. Late side effects were assessed prospectively using the Late Effects in Normal Tissue - Subjective, Objective, Management and Analytic (LENT/SOMA) scale. The parameters analyzed were time to onset, duration, actuarial incidence- (occurrence of new side effects during a defined time period) and prevalence rates (side effects existing at a defined time point). Results: Median follow-up was 44 months. Side effects (grade 1-4) in rectum and bladder were present in 31 and 49 patients, 14 and 27 months (mean time to onset) after treatment, respectively. All rectal and 76 % of bladder side effects occurred within 3 years after radiotherapy. Mean duration of rectal events was 19 months; 81 % resolved within 3 years of their initial diagnosis. Mean duration of bladder side effects was 20 months; 61 % resolved within 3 years. The 3- and 5-year actuarial complication rates were 16 and 19 % in rectum and 18 and 28 % in bladder, respectively. The corresponding prevalence rates were 9 and 2 % (rectum) and 18 and 21 % (bladder), respectively. Conclusion: Late side effects after cervical cancer radiotherapy are partially reversible, but their time course is organ-dependent. The combined presentation of incidence- and prevalence rates provides the most comprehensive information. (orig.)

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Asian women with breast cancer receiving anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourdeanu, Laura; Frankel, Paul; Yu, Wai; Hendrix, Gregory; Pal, Sumanta; Badr, Lina; Somlo, George; Luu, Thehang

2012-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remain among the most frequently reported distressing side effects associated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy despite significant advances in antiemetic management. The main risk factor for severity of CINV is the emetogenic potential of the chemotherapeutic agents. However, patient-related risk factors have been identified, including genetic makeup. Although studies have noted that ethnicity influences nausea and vomiting in other contexts, there is a paucity of research regarding the impact of ethnicity on CINV. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether Asian women receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy experience more CINV than non-Asians. A retrospective, comparative, correlational chart review was performed to abstract the relevant variables. Data from a convenience sample of 358 women with breast cancer who received chemotherapy with doxorubicin between 2004 and 2008 at City of Hope in Duarte, California, were evaluated. The sample consisted of Caucasians (45%), Hispanics (27.7%), Asians (19.8%), and African Americans (7.5%). The results indicate that Asian women with breast cancer undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy experienced statistically significantly more clinically important CINV than their non-Asian counterparts. The data were collected retrospectively, with a certain population distribution at a specific time. This study provides interesting preliminary evidence that Asian ethnicity plays a role in the development of severe CINV. When managing chemotherapy toxicities in women with breast cancer, health-care providers should tailor therapy to individual risk profiles. Specifically, consideration of antiemetic therapy should accommodate patient characteristics, such as Asian descent. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Listening to Music on the Comfort of Chemotherapy Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgiç, Şebnem; Acaroğlu, Rengin

2017-06-01

The symptoms of an illness that requires chemotherapy and the corresponding effects of such treatment exacerbate the pain and discomfort that patients typically experience. Listening to music may help patients cope with chemotherapy symptoms, thereby contributing to their physical ease and well-being. Seventy patients who were receiving treatment at the outpatient chemotherapy unit were invited to participate in this work. During chemotherapy sessions and the week after the sessions, the patients listened to music with headphones. The occurrence of chemotherapy symptoms such as pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, lack of appetite, not feeling well, and shortness of breath in the intervention group was statistically significant after listening to music ( p listening to music effectively reduces the severity of chemotherapy symptoms and enhances the comfort of patients receiving the treatment.

Recent advances in pharmacotherapy of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prasan R Bhandari

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nausea and vomiting remain among the most feared side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients. Significant progress has been made in the last 15 years in developing more effective and better-tolerated measures to minimize chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV. During the 1990s, the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonists were first introduced for the treatment of CINV, and resulted in more effective and better tolerated treatment of CINV. Despite recent progress, however, a significant number of patients still develop CINV, particularly during the 2-5-day period (delayed emesis following chemotherapy. There is evidence that this may be an underappreciated problem on the part of some caregivers. Recently, two new antiemetics, aprepitant, the first member of the neurokinin-1 antagonists, and palonosetron, a second-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist, received regulatory approval in the U.S. Both represent useful additions to the therapeutic armamentarium for the management of CINV.

Recent advances in pharmacotherapy of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prasan R Bhandari

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nausea and vomiting remain among the most feared side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients. Significant progress has been made in the last 15 years in developing more effective and better-tolerated measures to minimize chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV. During the 1990s, the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonists were first introduced for the treatment of CINV, and resulted in more effective and better tolerated treatment of CINV. Despite recent progress, however, a significant number of patients still develop CINV, particularly during the 2-5-day period (delayed emesis following chemotherapy. There is evidence that this may be an underappreciated problem on the part of some caregivers. Recently, two new antiemetics, aprepitant, the first member of the neurokinin-1 antagonists, and palonosetron, a second-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist, received regulatory approval in the U.S. Both represent useful additions to the therapeutic armamentarium for the management of CINV.

Unusually Located Stroke After Chemotherapy in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Braulio Alexander Martinez MD

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Testicular cancer is a type of malignancy that affects young adults and has high rates of cure; however, as any malignancy, it is associated with an increased risk of ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease, given the systemic tumor effects or side effects of chemotherapy, which in turn increases morbidity, functional impairment, and additional risk of early death.

Effect of Ginger and Chamomile on Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Chemotherapy in Iranian Women with Breast Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanaati, Fateme; Najafi, Safa; Kashaninia, Zahra; Sadeghi, Masoud

2016-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) places a significant burden on the patient. Herbal agents are the most commonly complementary therapies used among the public. This study was done to determine the effect of ginger and chamomile capsules on nausea and vomiting in cases undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC). In a randomized, double-blind and clinical trial study, 65 women with BC undergoing chemotherapy were referred to Breast Cancer Research Center, Tehran, Iran, between May 2013 to June 2014. Regimen for ginger group for 5 days before and 5 days after chemotherapy was: 2 times a day and 500 mg capsules of powdered ginger root in addition to a routine antiemetic regimen consisting of dexamethasone, metoclopramide and aprepitant (DMA) capsules. Chamomile group similarly was: 2 times a day and 500 mg capsules of Matricaria chamomilla extract in addition to a routine antiemetic regimen consisting of DMA capsules. Control group, routine antiemetic regimen consisting of DMA capsules. There were no significant differences between the ginger, chamomile and control groups regarding age. Drugs used for chemotherapy were identical and duration of disease was also matched (1-4 months). Ginger and chamomile were both significantly effective for reducing the frequency of vomiting, there being no significant difference between the ginger and chamomile groups. Moreover, unlike the chamomile, ginger significantly influenced the frequency of nausea. According to the findings of this study, it should be declared that taking ginger capsules (1 g/day) might relieve CINV safely. Nurses dealing directly with cancer patients should be responsible for providing educational programs for patients and their families about how to deal with their drug regimens and associated side effects.

Sensitization of malignant lymphomas by irradiation and chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoppe, W.D.

1988-01-01

In malignant lymphomas the alternating combination of chemo- and radiotherapy is well established in far advanced stages or with risk factors. The well known combinations of cytostatic drugs used in malignant lymphomas contain radiosensitizing substances. The side effects of combined modality treatments can be separated into early complications and delayed toxicity. In Hodgkin lymphomas the appearance of acute non-lymphocytic leukemias and solid neoplasms is a well known long term complication. Further trials are going on to reduce such severe side effects by eliminating carcinogenic cytostatics. In non-Hodgkin lymphomas long term remissions are rare in high malignant subtypes. Improved remission rates and long term survival are the present goals. The German Hodgkin Study Group could demonstrate in their HD 1 protocol that radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy did not show higher early side effects if the cytostatic regimen is intensified using 7 instead of 3 drugs. (orig.) [de

Side Effects of Chemotherapy

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... drugs available today works in a slightly different fashion, and it’s hard to predict what sorts of ... therapy, usually for the first week of each cycle. About 1/3 of men will experience numbness ...

Evaluation of recent curative effect of chemotherapy on hepatocellular carcinoma with MSCT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Jing; Zheng Keguo

2009-01-01

Objective: To study the value of MSCT in evaluating the recent curative effect of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after the chemotherapy with Oxaliplatin combined with 5-FU and Folinic Acid. Methods: 6 cases with HCC or post hepatectomy metastasis HCC confirmed by pathohistology underwent chemotherapy with Oxaliplatin combined with 5-FU and Folinic Acid. MultiSpiral Computed Tomography was used to determine the target lesions before and after the chemotherapy. The size of the target lesions before the chemotherapy was refer as the basic value (x0), and that after the chemotherapy was regarded as the observed value (y1). The theoretic value was obtained based on tumor growth dynamics mathematic model y2(x)=X 0 2 t/3td . Results: Before and after the first chemotherapy or between the consecutive chemotherapy cycles, the target lesions could be follow-up one by one with MSCT. There was significant statistical difference between observed increase size and theoretical increase size, P=0.0442. Conclusion: Tumor growth velocity can be effectively controlled with this chemotherapy plan, and MSCT may used to be an objective tool to evaluate the recent curative effect of chemotherapy on hepatocellular carcinoma. (authors)

Effect of regional and systemic fluorinated pyrimidine chemotherapy on quality of life in colorectal liver metastasis patients.

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Earlam, S; Glover, C; Davies, M; Fordy, C; Allen-Mersh, T G

1997-05-01

Since systemic and regional (HAI) fluorinated pyrimidine chemotherapies offer similar survival benefit in treatment of colorectal liver metastases (CLM), we sought to identify their impact on quality of life (QoL), which might be a useful indicator of treatment preference. We compared QoL in 135 CLM patients managed by symptom control (n = 49 patients), systemic fluorouracil (5FU)/folinic acid (n = 35), or hepatic arterial floxuridine (FUDR) (n = 51). Full blood count and liver function tests, World Health Organization (WHO) toxicity criteria, and QoL (Rotterdam Symptom Checklist [RSC], the Sickness Impact Profile [SIP], and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale [HAD]) were measured monthly in all patients. The HAD anxiety score was significantly increased in symptom control compared with chemotherapy patients 1 month after randomization. There was a significant increase in RSC physical score (repeated measures, P = .05), and in scores for sore mouth (P < .01), dry mouth (P < .01), and tingling hands and feet (P < .01) in systemic chemotherapy compared with symptom control patients. Significant QoL differences (repeated measures and Mann-Whitney U [MWU]) between HAI and symptom control patients were not detected. Systemic chemotherapy patients lived for significantly longer (log-rank test, P < or = .0001) with abnormal HAD anxiety, RSC psychosocial, or RSC sore mouth scores compared with HAI patients, but there were no overall survival differences. Randomization to symptom control only was associated with increased anxiety. QoL with systemic chemotherapy was impaired by side effects. HAI was associated with similar survival to systemic chemotherapy but with better sustained QoL.

Multiple model predictive control for optimal drug administration of mixed immunotherapy and chemotherapy of tumours.

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Sharifi, N; Ozgoli, S; Ramezani, A

2017-06-01

Mixed immunotherapy and chemotherapy of tumours is one of the most efficient ways to improve cancer treatment strategies. However, it is important to 'design' an effective treatment programme which can optimize the ways of combining immunotherapy and chemotherapy to diminish their imminent side effects. Control engineering techniques could be used for this. The method of multiple model predictive controller (MMPC) is applied to the modified Stepanova model to induce the best combination of drugs scheduling under a better health criteria profile. The proposed MMPC is a feedback scheme that can perform global optimization for both tumour volume and immune competent cell density by performing multiple constraints. Although current studies usually assume that immunotherapy has no side effect, this paper presents a new method of mixed drug administration by employing MMPC, which implements several constraints for chemotherapy and immunotherapy by considering both drug toxicity and autoimmune. With designed controller we need maximum 57% and 28% of full dosage of drugs for chemotherapy and immunotherapy in some instances, respectively. Therefore, through the proposed controller less dosage of drugs are needed, which contribute to suitable results with a perceptible reduction in medicine side effects. It is observed that in the presence of MMPC, the amount of required drugs is minimized, while the tumour volume is reduced. The efficiency of the presented method has been illustrated through simulations, as the system from an initial condition in the malignant region of the state space (macroscopic tumour volume) transfers into the benign region (microscopic tumour volume) in which the immune system can control tumour growth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pros and cons of intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.

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Zeimet, Alain G; Reimer, Daniel; Radl, Alice C; Reinthaller, Alexander; Schauer, Christian; Petru, Edgar; Concin, Nicole; Braun, Stephan; Marth, Christian

2009-07-01

Development of the pros and cons of intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer based on the most prominent data published on the evolution of IP chemotherapy and on experience with this therapeutic strategy in clinical routine. The literature published on IP chemotherapy in ovarian cancer between 1970 and 2008 was identified systematically by computer-based searches in MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library. Furthermore, a preliminary analysis of data recorded during an observational nationwide multicenter study of the Austrian AGO on IP-IV chemotherapy using the GOG-172 treatment regimen was performed. The literature review unequivocally revealed a significantly greater toxicity for IP than for intravenous (IV) cisplatin-based chemotherapy. However, according to a Cochrane meta-analysis, IP-IV administration of chemotherapy is associated with a 21.6% decrease in the risk for death. In agreement with earlier reports, the most frequently mentioned side-effects in the Austria-wide observational study were long-lasting neurotoxicity, abdominal pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal and metabolic toxicities, and catheter-related complications. Most of these toxicities were identified as mirroring the toxicity profile of high-dose IV cisplatin (>or=100 mg/m(2)). In some patients, the classic IP-IV regimen with cisplatin/paclitaxel was changed to an alternative schedule comprising carboplatin AUC 5 (d1) and weekly paclitaxel 60 mg/m(2) (d1, 8, 15) completely administered via the IP route. This treatment was better tolerated and quality of life was significantly less compromised. However, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were the limiting side-effects of this IP regimen. In cases where optimal cytoreduction with residual disease chemotherapy should be given serious consideration, even at the expense of significantly increased, but manageable toxicity.

Cerebral hyporesponsiveness and cognitive impairment 10 years after chemotherapy for breast cancer

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de Ruiter, Michiel B.; Reneman, Liesbeth; Boogerd, Willem; Veltman, Dick J.; van Dam, Frits S. A. M.; Nederveen, Aart J.; Boven, Epie; Schagen, Sanne B.

2011-01-01

Chemotherapy is associated with cognitive impairment in a subgroup of breast cancer survivors, but the neural circuitry underlying this side effect is largely unknown. Moreover, long-term impairment has not been studied well. In the present study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and

Effects of Chinese Medicine as Adjunct Medication for Adjuvant Chemotherapy Treatments of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

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Jiao, Lijing; Dong, Changsheng; Liu, Jiaxiang; Chen, Zhiwei; Zhang, Lei; Xu, Jianfang; Shen, Xiaoyong; Che, Jiaming; Yang, Yi; Huang, Hai; Li, Hegen; Sun, Jianli; Jiang, Yi; Mao, Zhujun; Chen, Peiqi; Gong, Yabin; Jin, Xiaolin; Xu, Ling

2017-01-01

The aim was to evaluate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a combination medication with adjuvant chemotherapy on postoperative early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The 314 patients with completely resected stage IB, II or IIIA cancers were assigned into vinorelbine plus cisplatin/carboplatin (NP/NC) (control, n = 158) and NP/NC with additional TCM (intervention, n = 156) groups. The primary endpoint was QOL scores; secondary endpoints were the toxicity and safety of the regimens. The NP/NC regimen caused mild (grade 1 or 2) non-hematologic toxic effects in the patients comprising vomiting (43.6%), fatigue (36.9%), pain (23%), dry mouth (27.6%) and diarrhea (7.9%). The incidence of adverse events was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (0.57% vs 4.02%, P = 0.037). Transient severe (grade 3 or 4) hematological toxic effects occurred less often (hemoglobin reduction (11.9 vs 22.5 percent) and total bilirubin increased (to 42.1 vs 46.2%) in the intervention compared to the control group during the 2nd chemotherapy cycle. When combined with adjuvant chemotherapy, TCM led to partial relief of symptoms in addition to a reduction of side-effects and adverse events caused by the NP/NC regimens. PMID:28436479

Effects of dendritic cell-activated and cytokine-induced killer cell therapy on 22 children with acute myeloid leukemia after chemotherapy.

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Bai, Yan; Zheng, Jin-e; Wang, Nan; Cai, He-hua; Zhai, Li-na; Wu, Yao-hui; Wang, Fang; Jin, Run-ming; Zhou, Dong-feng

2015-10-01

The efficiency of dendritic cell-activated and cytokine-induced killer cell (DC-CIK) therapy on children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after chemotherapy was investigated. Mononuclear cells were collected from children achieving complete remission after chemotherapy, cultured in vitro and transfused back into the same patient. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) was injected subcutaneously every other day 10 times at the dose of 1 × 10(6) units. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and minimal residual disease (MRD) were detected by flow cytometry. Function of bone marrow was monitored by methods of morphology, immunology, cytogenetics and molecular biology. The side effects were also observed during the treatment. The average follow-up period for all the 22 patients was 71 months and relapse occurred in two AML patients (9.1%). The percentage of CD3(+)/CD8(+) cells in peripheral blood of 15 patients at the 3rd month after DC-CIK treatment (36.73% ± 12.51%) was dramatically higher than that before treatment (29.20% ± 8.34%, P 0.1% in 5 patients before the treatment, and became lower than 0.1% 3 months after the treatment. During the transfusion of DC-CIK, side effects including fever, chills and hives appeared in 7 out of 22 (31.82%) cases but disappeared quickly after symptomatic treatments. There were no changes in electrocardiography and liver-renal functions after the treatment. MRD in children with AML can be eliminated by DC-CIK therapy which is safe and has fewer side effects.

[A questionnaire survey about hair loss after chemotherapy for breast cancer].

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Oshima, Yukiko; Watanabe, Takanori; Nakagawa, Saki; Endo, Ayako; Shiga, Chizuko

2012-09-01

Hair loss is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapies such as FEC and taxane, and it greatly affects quality of life. We conducted a questionnaire survey of breast cancer patients who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy about their hair loss. Eighty-five patients participated. They all had lost their hair and suffered from persistent changes in their hair condition, ranging from thinning to curly. More than 80% of patients had worn wigs until their hair had grown back. Furthermore, a few patients did not remove their wigs for 2 years after treatment. Unfortunately, there is no prevention or medication to combat hair loss due to chemotherapy at present, so cumulative examinations are awaited. We must provide appropriate information and support to the patient.

Prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by the small-molecule inhibitor pifithrin-mu

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krukowski, Karen; Nijboer, Cora H.; Huo, XiaoJiao; Kavelaars, Annemieke; Heijnen, Gobi J.

2015-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of cancer treatment. It is the most frequent cause of dose reduction or treatment discontinuation in patients treated for cancer with commonly used drugs including taxanes and platinum-based compounds. No FDA-approved

Warfarin Side Effects: Watch for Interactions

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Warfarin side effects: Watch for interactions Although commonly used to treat blood clots, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) can have dangerous side effects or ... bleeding. Here are precautions to take to avoid warfarin side effects. By Mayo Clinic Staff If you' ...

Combined radiation therapy and intraarterial chemotherapy for advanced oral or oropharngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okawa, Tomohiko; Kita, Midori; Tanaka, Makiko; Ishii, Tetsuo

1989-01-01

During the period 1982-1988, 34 patients with advanced oral or oropharyngeal carcinoma were treated with radical radiation therapy combined with intraarterial chemotherapy. Five patients were clinically staged as Stage II,15 as Stage III, and 14 as Stage IV. For intraarterial chemotherapy, ACNU (25mg/body) or CDDP (20 mg/m 2 ) plus MMC (6 mg/m 2 ) was used. Overall, the complete response rate was 56%: it was independent of the site of carcinoma, clinical stage, and the kind of drugs. The two-year cumulative survival rate was 80% for Stage II, 56% for Stage III, and 61% for Stage IV. Side effects were not so severe as to continue with the withdrawal of chemotherapy. In view of the efficacy and safety, combined radiation therapy and intraarterial chemotherapy should be performed in the treatment of oral or oropharyngeal carcinoma. (N.K.)

Disorders of the endocrine system due to radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shalet, S.M.

1983-01-01

Panhypopituitarism, infertility, gynaecomastia, impaired growth leading to short stature, failure to undergo normal pubertal development, hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism and thyroid tumours may complicate the treatment of malignant disease. The complexity of modern anti-cancer treatment has made it more difficult to delineate the exact aetiological role of radiotherapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy as many patients receive both modalities of therapy. In addition, combination chemotherapy has largely replaced treatment with a single cytotoxic drug, which means that it is often impossible to estimate the contribution of any one single drug to the adverse side effects of chemotherapy. The biological effect of a given radiation treatment regime depends not only on the total radiation dose received but also the method of irradiation, number of fractions, fraction size and duration of irradiation. Only a limited amount of information is available on dose-time relationships for radiation-induced damage to endocrine glands. (author)

Disorders of the endocrine system due to radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shalet, S M [Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Inst., Manchester (UK)

1983-11-01

Panhypopituitarism, infertility, gynaecomastia, impaired growth leading to short stature, failure to undergo normal pubertal development, hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism and thyroid tumours may complicate the treatment of malignant disease. The complexity of modern anti-cancer treatment has made it more difficult to delineate the exact aetiological role of radiotherapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy as many patients receive both modalities of therapy. In addition, combination chemotherapy has largely replaced treatment with a single cytotoxic drug, which means that it is often impossible to estimate the contribution of any one single drug to the adverse side effects of chemotherapy. The biological effect of a given radiation treatment regime depends not only on the total radiation dose received but also the method of irradiation, number of fractions, fraction size and duration of irradiation. Only a limited amount of information is available on dose-time relationships for radiation-induced damage to endocrine glands.

Determining S-1 dosage at hospitals prioritizing cancer chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morimoto, Shigefumi; Kitada, Noriaki; Anami, Setsuko

2008-01-01

Although it is recommended that the standard S-1 dosage should be based on how large the body surface area is, an on-site setting of the appropriate dosage is often lower than the standard one, depending on the individual's condition and considering possible side effects and so, on. Here, we investigated usage conditions for S-1 as a part of field training for expert pharmacists at our hospital that performs total clinical treatments. Decreases in dosage per day for elderly patients were although the standard dosage is generally determined according to the amount of a patient's body surface. We conducted a retrospective survey with a total 90 patients by creating a tree-diagram to identify a reduction standard. It was found that the S-1 dosage was decreased when there were side effects, aggravation in performance status, decrease in kidney function, old age, combined injection chemotherapy, and a decrease in radiation therapy performance. The dosage decreases without such medical reasons were seen in only 4 of the 90 patients. At hospitals giving priority to chemotherapy, it became clear that appropriate treatment was promoted by decreasing. The individual target dosage on the basis of daily medical examination. (author)

Surveying the effect of a self-care education program on severity of nausea and emesis in colorectal cancer patients under chemotherapy

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Karimi S

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Saba Karimi,1 Behnam Reza Makhsosi,2 Seyed Jalil Seyedi-Andi,3 Maryam Behzadi,4 Yasaman Moghofeh,5 Kourosh Mohammadinasrabadi,1 Alireza Abdi,1 Pegah Ahmadi1 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, 2Surgical Department, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, 3Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, 4Taleghani Hospital, 5Imam Khomeini Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Background and objective: Colorectal cancer is one of the main causes of mortality in both developed and developing countries, including Iran. One of the treatments available for colorectal cancer is chemotherapy, of which nausea and emesis are the side effects. Owing to problems in controlling the side effects, a combination of medicine and non-medicine interventions is usually used. Self-care is one of the non-medicine interventions in this regard. The present study was aimed at surveying the effect of a self-care education program on severity of nausea and emesis in colorectal cancer patients under chemotherapy.Methods: A semi-experimental study was carried out in Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah, Iran. The sample group comprised 52 patients with colorectal cancer under chemotherapy. Data gathering tools included a demographics questionnaire and Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis. To control intensity of nausea and emesis, a package of self-care measures including muscular progressive relaxation, music, and education on nutrition was used. Afterward, the collected data were analyzed using statistical tests such as Shapiro–Wilk test (to check normal distribution of the data, Mann–Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test, and chi-square test with the help of SPSS 20.Results: The results showed a considerable decrease in intensity and frequency of nausea and emesis after the intervention. The p-value of Mann–Whitney U test results with regard to intensity of nausea in

Assessment and monitoring of patients receiving chemotherapy for multiple myeloma: strategies to improve outcomes

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Faiman B

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Beth Faiman, Jason Valent Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA Abstract: Improved understanding as to the biology of multiple myeloma (MM and the bone marrow microenvironment has led to the development of new drugs to treat MM. This explosion of new and highly effective drugs has led to dramatic advances in the management of MM and underscores the need for supportive care. Impressive and deep response rates to chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, and small molecule drugs provide hope of a cure or prolonged remission for the majority of individuals. For most patients, long-term, continuous therapy is often required to suppress the malignant plasma cell clone, thus requiring clinicians to become more astute in assessment, monitoring, and intervention of side effects as well as monitoring response to therapy. Appropriate diagnosis and monitoring strategies are essential to ensure that patients receive the appropriate chemotherapy and supportive therapy at relapse, and that side effects are appropriately managed to allow for continued therapy and adherence to the regimen. Multiple drugs with complex regimens are currently available with varying side effect profiles. Knowledge of the drugs used to treat MM and the common adverse events will allow for preventative strategies to mitigate adverse events and prompt intervention. The purpose of this paper is to review updates in the diagnosis and management of MM, and to provide strategies for assessment and monitoring of patients receiving chemotherapy for MM. Keywords: multiple myeloma, treatment, symptoms, assessment, monitoring, symptom management, targeted therapies

Inhibitory effect of sequential combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy on growth of implanted tumor in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, Kouji

1983-01-01

Sequential chemotherapy using FT-207, adriamycin and mitomycin C followed by radiotherapy was attempted to achieve effective inhibition against implanted tumor in C57BL/6 black mice bearing YM-12 tumors. Sequential combined chemotherapy was more effective than single drug chemotherapy or combined chemotherapy of other drugs. Addition of radiotherapy to the sequential combined chemotherapy was successful for enhancing therapeutic effect. (author)

HIV Medicines and Side Effects

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... medicines, talk to your health care provider about possible side effects. Tell your health care provider about your lifestyle and point out any possible side effects that would be especially hard for you to ...

Subcutaneous testosterone-letrozole therapy before and concurrent with neoadjuvant breast chemotherapy: clinical response and therapeutic implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Glaser, Rebecca L; York, Anne E; Dimitrakakis, Constantine

2017-07-01

Hormone receptor-positive breast cancers respond favorably to subcutaneous testosterone combined with an aromatase inhibitor. However, the effect of testosterone combined with an aromatase inhibitor on tumor response to chemotherapy was unknown. This study investigated the effect of testosterone-letrozole implants on breast cancer tumor response before and during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A 51-year-old woman on testosterone replacement therapy was diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive invasive breast cancer. Six weeks before starting neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient was treated with subcutaneous testosterone-letrozole implants and instructed to follow a low-glycemic diet. Clinical status was followed. Tumor response to "testosterone-letrozole" and subsequently, "testosterone-letrozole with chemotherapy" was monitored using serial ultrasounds and calculating tumor volume. Response to therapy was determined by change in tumor volume. Cost of therapy was evaluated. There was a 43% reduction in tumor volume 41 days after the insertion of testosterone-letrozole implants, before starting chemotherapy. After the initiation of concurrent chemotherapy, the tumor responded at an increased rate, resulting in a complete pathologic response. Chemotherapy was tolerated. Blood counts and weight remained stable. There were no neurologic or cardiac complications from the chemotherapy. Cost of therapy is reported. Subcutaneous testosterone-letrozole was an effective treatment for this patient's breast cancer and did not interfere with chemotherapy. This novel combination implant has the potential to prevent side effects from chemotherapy, improve quality of life, and warrants further investigation.

Probiotics: Safety and Side Effects

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... of this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Probiotics Safety and Side Effects Past Issues / Winter 2016 ... Says About the Safety and Side Effects of Probiotics Whether probiotics are likely to be safe for ...

Effect of Hydro Alcoholic Ginger Extracts on the Body Weight, Testis Weight and Spermatogenesis in Male Rats Undergoing Chemotherapy with Cyclophosphamide

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E Sharifi

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Cyclophosphamide is used as an anti cancer medicine in chemotherapy. This is an alkalizing medicine and causes the binding of DNA strands, breaking of DNA and control of protein synthesis and RNA. The side effects of this medicine include lack of appetite, nausea, reduction in activity of sexual lymph nodes, causing amenorrhea, azoospermia and oligospermia. Ginger includes many compounds, some of which are shogaols, gingerols, pyrogallols and sesquiterpenes. Ginger has anti nauseating, anti cancer, anti oxidant effects and eliminates free radicals. This medicine is used along with cyclophosphamide to reduce its destructive side effects in the body. Methods: For 21 days, the rats were fed with ginger and cyclophosphamide. After 21 days, the animals were weighed and rendered unconscious. Their testes were removed and tissue samples were provided from their testes. Results: The results showed that cyclophosphamide alone reduces body weight, testes weight and spermatogenesis as compared to the control group. In other experimental groups that were fed with ginger and cyclophosphamide, increased dosage of ginger increased the body weight, the testes weight and spermatogenesis in comparison to the other experimental groups. Conclusion: It seems that compounds present in ginger are anti tumoral and control the production of active metabolites. Therefore, if administered together with Cyclophosphamide, it can be useful and effective in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Chromonychia Secondary to Chemotherapy

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Marien Lopes

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Chemotherapy drugs can affect the skin and its appendages. Several clinical presentations can be observed, depending on the affected structure. The most common dermatological side effect is chromonychia. The main causative agents are: (1 cyclophosphamide, which can provoke a diffuse, black pigmentation, longitudinal striae and dark grey pigmentation located proximally on the nails; (2 doxorubicin, which promotes dark brown bands alternating with white striae and dark brown pigmentation in transverse bands, and (3 hydroxyurea, which produces a distal, diffuse, dark brown pigmentation. In the majority of cases, the effects are reversible after the suspension of the causative agent for a few months. We report a patient who developed chromonychia while undergoing treatment with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone, methotrexate and cytarabine for acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Effect of Agaricus sylvaticus supplementation on nutritional status and adverse events of chemotherapy of breast cancer: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

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Valadares, Fabiana; Garbi Novaes, Maria Rita Carvalho; Cañete, Roberto

2013-01-01

Breast cancer (BC) represents the highest incidence of malignancy in women throughout the world. Medicinal fungi can stimulate the body, reduce side-effects associated with chemotherapy and improve the quality of life in patients with cancer. To evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Agaricus sylvaticus on clinical and nutritional parameters in BC patients undergoing chemotherapy. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial was carried out at the Oncology Clinic, Hospital of the Federal District-Brazil from September 2007 to July 2009. Forty six patients with BC, Stage II and III, were randomly assigned to receive either nutritional supplement with A. sylvaticus (2.1 g/day) or placebo. Patients were evaluated during treatment period. Patient supplemented with A. sylvaticus improved in clinical parameters and gastrointestinal functions. Poor appetite decreased by 20% with no changes in bowel functions (92.8%), nausea and vomiting (80%). Dietary supplementation with A. sylvaticus improved nutritional status and reduced abnormal bowel functions, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia in patients with BC receiving chemotherapy.

The effects of short-term fasting on tolerance to (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-negative breast cancer patients: a randomized pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groot, Stefanie de; Vreeswijk, Maaike PG; Welters, Marij JP; Gravesteijn, Gido; Boei, Jan JWA; Jochems, Anouk; Houtsma, Daniel; Putter, Hein; Hoeven, Jacobus JM van der; Nortier, Johan WR; Pijl, Hanno; Kroep, Judith R

2015-01-01

Preclinical evidence shows that short-term fasting (STF) protects healthy cells against side effects of chemotherapy and makes cancer cells more vulnerable to it. This pilot study examines the feasibility of STF and its effects on tolerance of chemotherapy in a homogeneous patient group with early breast cancer (BC). Eligible patients had HER2-negative, stage II/III BC. Women receiving (neo)-adjuvant TAC (docetaxel/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) were randomized to fast 24 h before and after commencing chemotherapy, or to eat according to the guidelines for healthy nutrition. Toxicity in the two groups was compared. Chemotherapy-induced DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was quantified by the level of γ-H2AX analyzed by flow cytometry. Thirteen patients were included of whom seven were randomized to the STF arm. STF was well tolerated. Mean erythrocyte- and thrombocyte counts 7 days post-chemotherapy were significantly higher (P = 0.007, 95 % CI 0.106-0.638 and P = 0.00007, 95 % CI 38.7-104, respectively) in the STF group compared to the non-STF group. Non-hematological toxicity did not differ between the groups. Levels of γ-H2AX were significantly increased 30 min post-chemotherapy in CD45 + CD3- cells in non-STF, but not in STF patients. STF during chemotherapy was well tolerated and reduced hematological toxicity of TAC in HER2-negative BC patients. Moreover, STF may reduce a transient increase in, and/or induce a faster recovery of DNA damage in PBMCs after chemotherapy. Larger studies, investigating a longer fasting period, are required to generate more insight into the possible benefits of STF during chemotherapy. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01304251, March 2011

The effects of short-term fasting on tolerance to (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy in HER2-negative breast cancer patients: a randomized pilot study.

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de Groot, Stefanie; Vreeswijk, Maaike P G; Welters, Marij J P; Gravesteijn, Gido; Boei, Jan J W A; Jochems, Anouk; Houtsma, Daniel; Putter, Hein; van der Hoeven, Jacobus J M; Nortier, Johan W R; Pijl, Hanno; Kroep, Judith R

2015-10-05

Preclinical evidence shows that short-term fasting (STF) protects healthy cells against side effects of chemotherapy and makes cancer cells more vulnerable to it. This pilot study examines the feasibility of STF and its effects on tolerance of chemotherapy in a homogeneous patient group with early breast cancer (BC). Eligible patients had HER2-negative, stage II/III BC. Women receiving (neo)-adjuvant TAC (docetaxel/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) were randomized to fast 24 h before and after commencing chemotherapy, or to eat according to the guidelines for healthy nutrition. Toxicity in the two groups was compared. Chemotherapy-induced DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was quantified by the level of γ-H2AX analyzed by flow cytometry. Thirteen patients were included of whom seven were randomized to the STF arm. STF was well tolerated. Mean erythrocyte- and thrombocyte counts 7 days post-chemotherapy were significantly higher (P = 0.007, 95 % CI 0.106-0.638 and P = 0.00007, 95 % CI 38.7-104, respectively) in the STF group compared to the non-STF group. Non-hematological toxicity did not differ between the groups. Levels of γ-H2AX were significantly increased 30 min post-chemotherapy in CD45 + CD3- cells in non-STF, but not in STF patients. STF during chemotherapy was well tolerated and reduced hematological toxicity of TAC in HER2-negative BC patients. Moreover, STF may reduce a transient increase in, and/or induce a faster recovery of DNA damage in PBMCs after chemotherapy. Larger studies, investigating a longer fasting period, are required to generate more insight into the possible benefits of STF during chemotherapy. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01304251 , March 2011.

Prognostic Effects of Adjuvant Chemotherapy-Induced Amenorrhea and Subsequent Resumption of Menstruation for Premenopausal Breast Cancer Patients

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Jeon, Se Jeong; Lee, Jae Il; Jeon, Myung Jae; Lee, Maria

2016-01-01

Abstract Chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) is a side effect that occurs in patients with breast cancer (BC) as a result of chemotherapy. These patients require special treatments to avoid infertility and menopause. However, the factors controlling CIA, resumption of menstruation (RM), and persistence of menstruation after chemotherapy are unknown. The long-term prognosis for premenopausal patients with BC and the prognostic factors associated with CIA and RM are subject to debate. We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of 249 patients with BC (stage I to stage III) who were treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. The median patient age was 43 (range, 26–55 years) and the median duration of follow-up was 64 months (range, 28–100 months). The medical records indicated that 219 patients (88.0%) scored as positive for the hormone receptor (HR); the majority of these patients completed chemotherapy and then received additional therapy of tamoxifen. Our analyses revealed that 88.0% (n = 219) of patients experienced CIA, and the percentage of RM during follow-up was 48.6% (n = 121). A total of 30 patients (12.0%) did not experience CIA. Disease-free survival (DFS) was affected by several factors, including tumour size ≥2 cm, node positivity, HR negative status, and body mass index ≥23 kg/m2. Multivariate analysis indicated that tumour size ≥2 cm remained as a significant factor for DFS (hazard ratio = 3.3, P = 0.034). In summary, this study finds that the majority of premenopausal patients with BC (stage I to stage III) who receive chemotherapy experience CIA and subsequent RM. Although tumour size ≥2 cm is negatively associated with DFS, RM after CIA is not associated with poor prognosis. PMID:27057900

Prognostic Effects of Adjuvant Chemotherapy-Induced Amenorrhea and Subsequent Resumption of Menstruation for Premenopausal Breast Cancer Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Se Jeong; Lee, Jae Il; Jeon, Myung Jae; Lee, Maria

2016-04-01

Chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) is a side effect that occurs in patients with breast cancer (BC) as a result of chemotherapy. These patients require special treatments to avoid infertility and menopause. However, the factors controlling CIA, resumption of menstruation (RM), and persistence of menstruation after chemotherapy are unknown. The long-term prognosis for premenopausal patients with BC and the prognostic factors associated with CIA and RM are subject to debate. We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of 249 patients with BC (stage I to stage III) who were treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. The median patient age was 43 (range, 26-55 years) and the median duration of follow-up was 64 months (range, 28-100 months). The medical records indicated that 219 patients (88.0%) scored as positive for the hormone receptor (HR); the majority of these patients completed chemotherapy and then received additional therapy of tamoxifen. Our analyses revealed that 88.0% (n = 219) of patients experienced CIA, and the percentage of RM during follow-up was 48.6% (n = 121). A total of 30 patients (12.0%) did not experience CIA. Disease-free survival (DFS) was affected by several factors, including tumour size ≥2 cm, node positivity, HR negative status, and body mass index ≥23 kg/m. Multivariate analysis indicated that tumour size ≥2 cm remained as a significant factor for DFS (hazard ratio = 3.3, P = 0.034). In summary, this study finds that the majority of premenopausal patients with BC (stage I to stage III) who receive chemotherapy experience CIA and subsequent RM. Although tumour size ≥2 cm is negatively associated with DFS, RM after CIA is not associated with poor prognosis.

Treatment of cancer chemotherapy-induced toxicity with the pineal hormone melatonin.

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Lissoni, P; Tancini, G; Barni, S; Paolorossi, F; Ardizzoia, A; Conti, A; Maestroni, G

1997-03-01

Experimental data have suggested that the pineal hormone melatonin (MLT) may counteract chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and immunosuppression. In addition, MLT has been shown to inhibit the production of free radicals, which play a part in mediating the toxicity of chemotherapy. A study was therefore performed in an attempt to evaluate the influence of MLT on chemotherapy toxicity. The study involved 80 patients with metastatic solid tumors who were in poor clinical condition (lung cancer: 35; breast cancer: 31; gastrointestinal tract tumors: 14). Lung cancer patients were treated with cisplatin and etoposide, breast cancer patients with mitoxantrone, and gastrointestinal tract tumor patients with 5-fluorouracil plus folates. Patients were randomised to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus MLT (20 mg/day p.o. in the evening). Thrombocytopenia was significantly less frequent in patients concomitantly treated with MLT. Malaise and asthenia were also significantly less frequent in patients receiving MLT. Finally, stomatitis and neuropathy were less frequent in the MLT group, albeit without statistically significant differences. Alopecia and vomiting were not influenced by MLT. This pilot study seems to suggest that the concomitant administration of the pineal hormone MLT during chemotherapy may prevent some chemotherapy-induced side-effects, particularly myelosuppression and neuropathy. Evaluation of the impact of MLT on chemotherapy efficacy will be the aim of future clinical investigations.

Polymer Nanoparticle-Based Chemotherapy for Spinal Malignancies

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Hongyun Ma

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Malignant spinal tumors, categorized into primary and metastatic ones, are one of the most serious diseases due to their high morbidity and mortality rates. Common primary spinal tumors include chordoma, chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and multiple myeloma. Spinal malignancies are not only locally invasive and destructive to adjacent structures, such as bone, neural, and vascular structures, but also disruptive to distant organs (e.g., lung. Current treatments for spinal malignancies, including wide resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, have made significant progress like improving patients’ quality of life. Among them, chemotherapy plays an important role, but its potential for clinical application is limited by severe side effects and drug resistance. To ameliorate the current situation, various polymer nanoparticles have been developed as promising excipients to facilitate the effective treatment of spinal malignancies by utilizing their potent advantages, for example, targeting, stimuli response, and synergetic effect. This review overviews the development of polymer nanoparticles for antineoplastic delivery in the treatment of spinal malignancies and discusses future prospects of polymer nanoparticle-based treatment methods.

Effect of taurine on attenuating chemotherapy-induced adverse effects in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

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Mina Islambulchilar

2015-01-01

Conclusion: In conclusion our results indicated that taurine supplementation could be a protection against chemotherapy-induced toxicities probably by its antioxidant capacity. Present study showed effectiveness of taurineon the chemotherapy-related toxicities and some of the complications during the maintenance period of treatment following coadministration in young adults with ALL.

How breast cancer chemotherapy increases the risk of leukemia: Thoughts about a case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and leukemia after breast cancer chemotherapy.

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Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Xia; Li, Minghuan; Kong, Li; Deng, Xiaoqin; Yu, Jinming

2016-01-01

The latest studies suggest that prophylactic chemotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer may increase the leukemia risk in patients. For patients with a low risk for breast cancer recurrence, physicians who make the choice for adjuvant therapy should consider the risk of its long-term side effects. Is the occurrence of lymphatic system cancer and leukemia after breast cancer treatment associated with chemotherapy? Can these types of leukemia be classified as therapy-related leukaemias? We believe that there may be correlations between any diseases, butwe cannot rush to conclusions or dismiss a correlation because we understand little about the diseases themselves.In this paper, we present a case of secondary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and leukemia in patients after breast cancer chemotherapy, it is undeniable that this is a special event. For two distinct tumouroccurrences at different times, we cannot give a clear explanation because of thechanges in the genes that might link them together and we hope to attract the attention of other clinicians.

Impact of Dose Reductions, Delays Between Chemotherapy Cycles, and/or Shorter Courses of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

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Sgouros, Joseph; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kouvatseas, George; Rapti, Anna; Stamoulis, George; Bisvikis, Anastasios; Res, Helen; Samantas, Epameinondas

2015-12-01

Most stage II or III colorectal cancer patients are receiving nowadays a 4 to 6-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, delays between cycles, reductions in the doses of chemotherapy drugs, or even permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles might take place due to side effects or patient's preference. We examined the impact of these treatment modifications on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively collected data from colorectal cancer patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in our Department. Patients were categorized in five groups based on whether they had or not delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions, and permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles. Three-year RFS and OS of the five different groups were compared using the log-rank test and the Sidak approach. Five hundred and eight patients received treatment. Twenty seven percent of the patients had the full course of chemotherapy; the others had delays, dose reductions, or early termination of the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in 3-year RFS and OS between the five groups. A trend for worse RFS was noticed with early termination of treatment. A similar trend was also noticed for OS but only for stage II patients. In colorectal cancer patients, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions of chemotherapy drugs, or even early termination of the treatment course do not seem to have a negative impact in 3-year RFS and OS; however, due to the trend of worse RFS in patients receiving shorter courses of chemotherapy, further studies are needed.

Differential pharmacology and clinical utility of rolapitant in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

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Rapoport BL

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Bernardo Leon Rapoport The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa Abstract: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV is a debilitating side effect of many cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens. CINV typically manifests during two well-defined time periods (acute and delayed phases. The acute phase is the first 24 hours after chemotherapy and is largely managed with 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists. The delayed phase, a 5-day at-risk period during which patients are not often in direct contact with their health care provider, remains a significant unmet medical need. Neurokinin-1 (NK-1 receptor antagonists have demonstrated protection against acute and delayed CINV in patients treated with highly emetogenic chemotherapy and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy when used in combination with a 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone. Furthermore, recent data indicate that this protection is maintained over multiple treatment cycles. Rolapitant, a selective and long-acting NK-1 receptor antagonist, is approved as oral formulation for the prevention of delayed CINV in adults. This review discusses the differential pharmacology and clinical utility of rolapitant in preventing CINV compared with other NK-1 receptor antagonists. Keywords: antiemetics, highly emetogenic chemotherapy, moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, emesis, neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists

Effectiveness of antiemetics in control of antineoplastic chemotherapy-induced emesis at home

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Castro,Marielly Cunha; Araújo,Suely Amorim de; Mendes,Thaís Rezende; Vilarinho,Glauciane Silva; Mendonça,Maria Angélica Oliveira

2014-01-01

Objective Evaluating if antiemetics are effective in the prevention or treatment at home, of chemotherapy-induced emesis. Methods In total, were included 42 women with breast cancer in moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, using dexamethasone/ondansetron before each cycle. The frequency of nausea and vomiting was obtained by applying the instrument in the pre-chemotherapy period, and 24h, 48h, 72h and 96h after chemotherapy. The use of antiemetics was considered in accordance with adherence...

Is Huachansu Beneficial in Treating Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis of Its Efficacy Combined with Chemotherapy

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Bingduo Zhou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Huachansu, the sterilized water extract of Bufo bufo gargarizans toad skin, is used in China to alleviate the side-effects and enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess Huachansu’s efficacy. Methods. We extensively searched electronic databases (CENTRAL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CBM, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CEBM, WFDP, CSCD, CSTD, and IPA for randomized controlled trials containing Huachansu plus chemotherapy as the test group and chemotherapy as the control group. Seventeen trials were selected based on the selection criteria. The pooled relative ratio (RR of indicators with 95% confidence interval (95% CI was calculated for efficacy evaluation. Results. The meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in objective tumor response, one-year survival, Karnofsky performance status, pain relief, and alleviation of severe side-effects (nausea and vomiting, leukocytopenia in the test group as compared to the control group, but no significant difference in thrombocytopenia. Conclusions. This study demonstrated the efficacy of Huachansu combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. However, limitations exist and high-quality trials are needed for further verification.

Exploring patient experiences of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

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Beaver, Kinta; Williamson, Susan; Briggs, Jean

2016-02-01

Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for 'inoperable' locally advanced and inflammatory breast cancers. For operable breast cancers, trials indicate no survival differences between chemotherapy given pre or post-surgery. Communicating evidence based information to patients is complex and studies examining patient experiences of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy are lacking. This study aims to explore the experiences of women who received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with 20 women who had completed neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The sample included a relatively young group of women, with caring responsibilities. Five main themes emerged: coping with the rapid transition from 'well' to 'ill', information needs and decision making, needing support and empathy, impact on family, and creating a new 'normal'. More support was needed towards the end of chemotherapy, when side effects were at their most toxic, and decisions about forthcoming surgery were being made. Some women were referred to psychological services, but usually when a crisis point had been reached. Information and support would have been beneficial at key time points. This information is vital in developing services and interventions to meet the complex needs of these patients and potentially prevent late referral to psychological services. Specialist oncology nurses are able to develop empathetic relationships with patients and have the experience, knowledge and skills to inform and support women experiencing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Targeting key time points and maintaining relationship throughout neo-adjuvant chemotherapy would be highly beneficial. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimal Intermittent Dose Schedules for Chemotherapy Using Genetic Algorithm

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Nadia ALAM

2013-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a design method for optimal cancer chemotherapy schedules via genetic algorithm (GA is presented. The design targets the key objective of chemotherapy to minimize the size of cancer tumor after a predefined time with keeping toxic side effects in limit. This is a difficult target to achieve using conventional clinical methods due to poor therapeutic indices of existing anti-cancer drugs. Moreover, there are clinical limitations in treatment administration to maintain continuous treatment. Besides, carefully decided rest periods are recommended to for patient’s comfort. Three intermittent drug scheduling schemes are presented in this paper where GA is used to optimize the dose quantities and timings by satisfying several treatment constraints. All three schemes are found to be effective in total elimination of cancer tumor after an agreed treatment length. The number of cancer cells is found zero at the end of the treatment for all three cases with tolerable toxicity. Finally, two of the schemes, “Fixed interval variable dose (FIVD and “Periodic dose” that are periodic in characteristic have been emphasized due to their additional simplicity in administration along with friendliness to patients. responses to the designed treatment schedules. Therefore the proposed design method is capable of planning effective, simple, patient friendly and acceptable chemotherapy schedules.

Isoniazid-induced flu-like syndrome: A rare side effect

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Sudipta Pandit

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Drug-induced flu-like syndrome is very rare. It is mainly produced by rifampicin. We report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB that developed isoniazid-induced flu-like syndrome, but could be cured with a modified regimen replacing isoniazid with levofloxacin. A 10-year-old girl with PTB was treated with isoniazid (H, rifampicin (R, ethambutol (E, and pyrazinamide (Z. She developed features of flu from the sixth day. Symptoms recurred everyday within 1 h of drug ingestion and subsided automatically by next 12 h. After admission, HREZ were continued. She developed symptoms of flu after 1 h of drug ingestion. Antitubercular therapy (ATT was stopped and symptoms subsided automatically. Individual drug was started one by one after three days. Severe symptoms of flu developed after taking isoniazid, while other drugs were tolerated well. Levofloxacin was used as an alternative to isoniazid. She was cured after 6 months of chemotherapy. Isoniazid can possibly cause flu-like syndrome and the treating physician should be aware of this possible side effect when using ATT.

SELECTIVE INTRA-ARTERIAL CHEMOTHERAPY (IAC IN TREATMENT AT CHILDREN WITH THE INTRAOCULAR RETYNOBLASTOMA

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I. V. Pogrebnyakov

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Treatment of intraocular retinoblastoma is challenging. It requires a multidisciplinary personalized approach that includes focal treatments, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. Today, the focus of therapy has shifted to eye preservation with the major aim to save the child’s life and to preserve the eyeball as a functioning organ of vision with minimal complications. One of the most promising therapy approaches is selective intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC, by which a cytostatic agent is given directly into the eye. This treatment modality has been shown to provide survival benefit and improvement of quality of life, reducing toxicity and minimizing side effects.

The facilitating role of chemotherapy in the palliative phase of cancer: qualitative interviews with advanced cancer patients.

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Hilde M Buiting

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To explore the extent to which patients have a directing role in decisions about chemotherapy in the palliative phase of cancer and (want to anticipate on the last stage of life. DESIGN: Qualitative interview study. METHODS: In depth-interviews with 15 patients with advanced colorectal or breast cancer at the medical oncology department in a Dutch teaching hospital; interviews were analysed following the principles of thematic content-analysis. RESULTS: All patients reported to know that the chemotherapy they received was with palliative intent. Most of them did not express the wish for information about (other treatment options and put great trust in their physicians' treatment advice. The more patients were aware of the severity of their disease, the more they seemed to 'live their life' in the present and enjoy things besides having cancer. Such living in the present seemed to be facilitated by the use of chemotherapy. Patients often considered the 'chemotherapy-free period' more stressful than periods when receiving chemotherapy despite their generally improved physical condition. Chemotherapy (regardless of side-effects seemed to shift patients' attention away from the approaching last stage of life. Interestingly, although patients often discussed advance care planning, they were reluctant to bring on end-of-life issues that bothered them at that specific moment. Expressing real interest in people 'as a person' was considered an important element of appropriate care. CONCLUSIONS: Fearing their approaching death, patients deliberately focus on living in the present. Active (chemotherapy treatment facilitates this focus, regardless of the perceived side-effects. However, if anxiety for what lies ahead is the underlying reason for treatment, efforts should be made in assisting patients to find other ways to cope with this fear. Simultaneously, such an approach may reduce the use of burdensome and sometimes costly treatment in the

[Effect of PMU hepatic arterial chemotherapy for liver metastases of gastric cancer. Hokuriku Cisplatin Round-table Conference].

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Sakuma, H; Matsuki, N; Katayama, K; Hirosawa, H; Tomita, F; Takano, N; Tanaka, T; Sawa, T; Ueno, K; Uogishi, M

1989-08-01

We performed PMU hepatic arterial chemotherapy (a combination therapy consisting of intra-hepatic arterial infusion of CDDP and MMC, oral administration of UFT) in 20 patients with gastric cancer and liver metastases. In this method, 1-6 courses of one infusion of CDDP at 70-100 mg/body and MMC of 10 mg/body into the proper hepatic artery were administered at intervals of 3-4 weeks. UFT of 300-400 mg/day was orally administered with the infusion. The primary response for hepatic metastatic lesions was observed in one case of CR, 14 cases of PR, 4 cases of NC, and one case of PD. The efficacy for CR and PR was high at 75%. The median disease-free interval was 56 weeks in responders. The 50% survival period was 11.1 months; one-year survival rate, 42.1%; two-year survival rate, 12.3%; the longest survival period was 108 weeks. Mild and transient side effects were recognized in 17 cases (85%): gastrointestinal symptoms, sense of general malaise, fever, leukocytopenia, and elevated BUN. Thus, the results indicated that this combination chemotherapy was effective for liver metastases of gastric cancer.

Not all side effects associated with tricyclic antidepressant therapy are true side effects.

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Thiwan, Syed; Drossman, Douglas A; Morris, Carolyn B; Dalton, Chris; Toner, Brenda B; Diamant, Nicholas E; Hu, J B; Whitehead, William E; Leserman, Jane; Bangdiwala, Shrikant I

2009-04-01

Patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders treated with tricyclic antidepressants sometimes report nongastrointestinal symptoms; it is unclear whether these are drug side effects or reflect a behavioral tendency to report symptoms. We evaluated whether symptoms reported before treatment with a tricyclic antidepressant (desipramine) increased in number or worsened in severity after 2 weeks of treatment and assessed the baseline factors that predispose patients to report symptoms. Female patients in a multicenter National Institutes of Health trial for functional bowel disorders completed a 15-item symptom questionnaire at baseline (before randomization), 2 weeks after they were given desipramine (n = 81) or placebo (n = 40), and at study completion (12 weeks). Patients were asked about the severity and frequency of 15 symptoms. Results were analyzed from 57 patients given desipramine who completed the questionnaires. Symptoms reported as side effects to have occurred more frequently and also worsened at week 2 in the group given desipramine included dizziness, dry mouth/thirstiness, lightheadedness, jittery feelings/tremors, and flushing. Symptoms that did not change in severity or showed improvement at week 2 in the group given desipramine included morning tiredness, nausea, blurred vision, headaches, appetite reduction, and trouble sleeping. Psychologic distress but not desipramine blood level correlated with symptom reporting. Most symptoms often attributed to side effects of desipramine were present before treatment; only a few, related to anticholinergic effects, worsened 2 weeks after treatment, suggesting that most so-called side effects were not associated specifically with desipramine use. Such symptoms might instead be associated with psychologic distress.

The combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy towards more efficient drug delivery.

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Cao, Wei; Gu, Yuwei; Meineck, Myriam; Xu, Huaping

2014-01-01

Research on anticancer therapies has advanced significantly in recent years. New therapeutic platforms that can further improve the health of patients are still highly demanded. We propose the idea of combining regular chemotherapy with radiation therapy to minimize side effects as well as increase drug-delivery efficiency. In this Focus Review, we seek to provide an overview of recent advances that can combine chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We begin by reviewing the current state of systems that can combine chemotherapy and gamma radiation. Among them, diselenide-containing polymers are highlighted as sensitive drug-delivery vehicles that can disassemble under gamma radiation. Then X-ray responsive materials as promising alternative systems are summarized, including X-ray responsive drug-delivery vehicles, prodrugs that can be activated by X-rays, and radiation-site-targeting systems. Finally, we describe strategies that involve phototherapies. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cutaneous side-effects in patients on long-term treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.

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Osio, A; Mateus, C; Soria, J-C; Massard, C; Malka, D; Boige, V; Besse, B; Robert, C

2009-09-01

Acute and subacute cutaneous side-effects of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) are very frequent and well known. Much less is known about the chronic cutaneous effects of these drugs and about their potential psychosocial impact on patients. We performed a retrospective study of patients treated with EGFRIs for more than 6 months. All patients had a detailed dermatological examination. The primary cancer, associated chemotherapies, skin treatment, evolution of skin symptoms and their impact on quality of life (QoL) as evaluated by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were noted. Seven men and nine women were identified. The mean length of EGFRI treatment was 10 months (range 6-27). At the time of examination, all patients (100%) had cutaneous side-effects. Grade I or II folliculitis was found in 37.5% of the patients. Additional skin manifestations were xerosis (100%), mucositis (69%), hair abnormalities (87.5%), eyelash trichomegaly (62.5%), facial hypertrichosis (56%), painful paronychia (56%) and onycholysis (44%). Dose reduction or EGFRI discontinuation for skin toxicity were needed in six patients (37.5%). DLQI evaluation showed a moderate to strong impact on QoL in four patients (25%). Cutaneous side-effects are found in 100% of patients treated with EGFRIs for more than 6 months and have a significant effect on patients' QoL. The clinical spectrum of skin manifestation varies over time. As the use of EGFRIs rapidly increases, it is critical for us to improve our knowledge in the understanding and managment of these skin manifestations.

Chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for adults with early stage Hodgkin lymphoma (Review)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blank, Oliver; von Tresckow, Bastian; Monsef, Ina

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Combined modality treatment consisting of chemotherapy followed by localised radiotherapy is the standard treatment for patients with early stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). However, due to long- term adverse effects such as secondary malignancies the role of radiotherapy has been questioned...... recently and some clinical study groups advocate chemotherapy only for this indication. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of chemotherapy alone compared to chemotherapy plus radiotherapy in adults with early stage HL . SEARCH METHODS: For the or i ginal version of this review, we searched MEDLINE, Embase......-related mortality (RR 0.99; 95% CI 0.14 to 6.90; P = 0.99; low-quality evidence), there is no evidence for a difference between the use of chemotherapy alone and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. CRR rate was not reported. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review compared the effects of chemotherapy alone...

Meanings of quality of life held by patients with colorectal cancer in the context of chemotherapy.

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Buetto, Luciana Scatralhe; Zago, Marcia Maria Fontão

2015-01-01

this study's aim was to interpret the meanings assigned to quality of life by patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. the ethnographic method and the medical anthropology theoretical framework were used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations with 16 men and women aged from 43 to 75 years old undergoing chemotherapy in a university hospital. the meanings and senses describe biographical ruptures, loss of normality of life, personal and social suffering, and the need to respond to chemotherapy's side effects; chemotherapy is seen as a transitional stage for a cure. Quality of life is considered unsatisfactory because the treatment imposes personal and social limitations and QoL is linked to resuming normal life. the meanings show the importance of considering sociocultural aspects in the conceptualization and assessment of quality of life.

Side Effects: Diarrhea

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Diarrhea, a side effect of cancer treatment, may cause symptoms such as loose, watery stools. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration and malnutrition in cancer patients. Learn about ways to treat and manage diarrhea during cancer treatment.

Side Effects: Pain

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Controlling pain is an important part of your cancer treatment plan. Learn how to track levels of pain. Find out how pain, a side effect of cancer treatment, is treated using acupuncture, biofeedback, and physical therapy.

Sexual side effects induced by psychotropic drugs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Ellids

2002-01-01

The majority of psychotropic drugs entail sexual side effects. The sexual side effects may reduce quality of life and may give rise to non-compliance. For example, 30-60 per cent of patients treated with antidepressants are known to develop a sexual dysfunction. However, some psychotropic drugs...... with no or very few sexual side effects have begun to emerge. The treatment of sexual side effects induced by psychotropic drugs may consist of: modified sexual habits, reduction in dosage, switching to another medication, possibly in combination with different psychotropic agents, other varieties...

Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Diarrhea

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... have dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and sour cream. You may want to try “lactose-free” ... drinks can make diarrhea worse. ● ● Don’t have beer, wine, and other drinks with alcohol in them. ● ● ...

Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Infection

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... your hands carefully after you handle raw meat. Cook meat well before eating it. ● ● Try to stay away from people who have just had a chicken pox, polio, or measles vaccine. ● ● Have someone else ...

Alterations of nutritional status: impact of chemotherapy and radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donaldson, S.S.; Lenon, R.A.

1979-01-01

The nutritional status of a cancer patient may be affected by the tumor, the chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy directed against the tumor, and by complications associated with that therapy. Chemotherpay-radiotherapy is not confined exclusively to malignant cell populations; thus, normal tissues may also be affected by the therapy and may contribute to specific nutritional problems. Impaired nutrition due to anorexia, mucositis, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may be dependent upon the specific chemotherapeutic agent, dose, or schedule utilized. Similar side effects from radiation therapy depend upon the dose, fractionation, and volume irradiated. When combined modality treatment is given the nutritional consequences may be magnified. Prospective, randomized clinical trials are underway to investigate the efficacy of nutritional support during chemotherapy-radiotherapy on tolerance to treatment, complications from treatment, and response rates to treatment. Preliminary results demonstrate that the administration of total parenteral nutrition is successful in maintaining weight during radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but that weight loss occurs after discontinuation of nutritional support. Thus, longterm evaluation is mandatory to learn the impact of nutritional support on survival, diease-free survival, and complication rates, as well as on the possible prevention of morbidity associated with aggressive chemotherapy-radiation therapy

Aprepitant: a promising antiemetic for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aseeri, Mohamad A.

2006-01-01

Most patients who undergo chemotherapy have noted that nausea and vomiting are the most feared and distressing side-effects of cancer treatment (1). Nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy can be classified as acute, delayed, or anticipatory. Acute emesis generally occurs within 24 hours of chemotherapy administration; while delayed nausea and vomiting begin 24 hours after chemotherapy and may continue for up to one week. Anticipatory emesis occurs prior to chemotherapy in patients who anticipate another episode by sight, odors or memory of the place where acute nausea and vomiting occurred (2, 3). Different neurotransmitters found in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and central nervous system (CNS) mediate the pathophysiology of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). These include dopamine, histamine, acetycholine, serotonin, and substance P; which act directly and indirectly on the vomiting center located in the lateral reticular formation of the medulla (1, 4). Substance P is a member of the tachykinins family of neuropeptides. The biological activity of this substance is to induce vomiting mediated by neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptors located primarily in the GIT and the CNS (5). Both Nk1 receptors and substance P play a significant role in the pathogenesis of acute and delayed CINV. (author)

From the Bottom-Up: Chemotherapy and Gut-Brain Axis Dysregulation.

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Bajic, Juliana E; Johnston, Ian N; Howarth, Gordon S; Hutchinson, Mark R

2018-01-01

The central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract form the primary targets of chemotherapy-induced toxicities. Symptoms associated with damage to these regions have been clinically termed chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment and mucositis. Whilst extensive literature outlines the complex etiology of each pathology, to date neither chemotherapy-induced side-effect has considered the potential impact of one on the pathogenesis of the other disorder. This is surprising considering the close bidirectional relationship shared between each organ; the gut-brain axis. There are complex multiple pathways linking the gut to the brain and vice versa in both normal physiological function and disease. For instance, psychological and social factors influence motility and digestive function, symptom perception, and behaviors associated with illness and pathological outcomes. On the other hand, visceral pain affects central nociception pathways, mood and behavior. Recent interest highlights the influence of functional gut disorders, such as inflammatory bowel diseases and irritable bowel syndrome in the development of central comorbidities. Gut-brain axis dysfunction and microbiota dysbiosis have served as key portals in understanding the potential mechanisms associated with these functional gut disorders and their effects on cognition. In this review we will present the role gut-brain axis dysregulation plays in the chemotherapy setting, highlighting peripheral-to-central immune signaling mechanisms and their contribution to neuroimmunological changes associated with chemotherapy exposure. Here, we hypothesize that dysregulation of the gut-brain axis plays a major role in the intestinal, psychological and neurological complications following chemotherapy. We pay particular attention to evidence surrounding microbiota dysbiosis, the role of intestinal permeability, damage to nerves of the enteric and peripheral nervous systems and vagal and humoral mediated changes.

Carbamazepine for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a pilot study

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Thaiana Aragão Santana

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Nausea and vomiting are major inconveniences for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Despite standard preventive treatment, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV still occurs in approximately 50% of these patients. In an attempt to optimize this treatment, we evaluated the possible effects of carbamazepine for prevention of CINV.DESIGN AND LOCATION: Prospective nonrandomized open-label phase II study carried out at a Brazilian public oncology service. METHODS: Patients allocated for their first cycle of highly emetogenic chemotherapy were continuously recruited. In addition to standard antiemetic protocol that was made available, they received carbamazepine orally, with staggered doses, from the third day before until the fifth day after chemotherapy. Considering the sparseness of evidence about the efficacy of anticonvulsants for CINV prevention, we used Simon's two-stage design, in which 43 patients should be included unless overall complete prevention was not achieved in 9 out of the first 15 entries. The Functional Living Index-Emesis questionnaire was used to measure the impact on quality of life.RESULTS:None of the ten patients (0% presented overall complete prevention. In three cases, carbamazepine therapy was withdrawn because of somnolence and vomiting before chemotherapy. Seven were able to take the medication for the entire period and none were responsive, so the study was closed. There was no impact on the patients' quality of life.CONCLUSION: Carbamazepine was not effective for prevention of CINV and also had a deleterious side-effect profile in this population.

Investigation of the effect of the rebamipide mouthwash on the crisis of the stomatitis induced by the cancer chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawata, Keishi; Hanawa, Takehisa; Hanawa, Kazumi

2001-01-01

Stomatitis is well-known as one of the undesirable side effects induced by high and/or multiple dosing of cytotoxic drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Stomatitis causes pain in the oral cavity, impaired swallowing or loss of appetite, and finally, lowering of the quality of life (QOL) of patients. In this study, we attempted to apply a new mouthwash containing rebamipide (REB) which is known as the anti-activated oxygen agent. Rebamipide mouthwash (REB-M) showed the effectiveness to the crisis of the stomatitis during the cancer chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. (author)

Chemotherapy for neuroendocrine tumors: the Beatson Oncology Centre experience.

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Hatton, M Q; Reed, N S

1997-01-01

The role of chemotherapy in malignant neuroendocrine tumours is difficult to assess because of their rarity and variation in biological behaviour. We present a retrospective review of chemotherapy given to 18 patients with metastatic and one with locally advanced neuroendocrine tumours. There were eight poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumours, six thyroid medullary carcinomas, two phaeochromocytomas, two pancreatic islet cell tumours and one undifferentiated neuroblastoma. Four patients were given 3-weekly dacarbazine, vincristine and cyclophosphamide (DOC) chemotherapy. In eight patients, this regimen was modified by substituting the dacarbazine and cisplatin and etoposide (OPEC). A further six patients were treated with dacarbazine reintroduced into the 3-weekly regimen (DOPEC). The remaining patient received cisplatin and etoposide. There were two complete responses (both with OPEC) and eight partial responses (two with DOC, three with OPEC and three with DOPEC). Five patients had stable disease and four progressed. Four received further chemotherapy on relapse, producing one complete and one partial response. The median response duration to initial chemotherapy was 10 months (range 3-34). The median survival was 12 months (range 1-42). The main toxicity was haematological, with grade 3-4 neutropenia in 12 patients; eight suffered episodes of sepsis. One death was treatment related. Other toxicity was mild although three patients discontinued vincristine with grade 2 neurotoxicity. The response rate and side effects of these three regimens appear comparable. We conclude that, although these patient numbers are small, combination chemotherapy produces an encouraging response rate (53%; 95% CI 30-75) in malignant neuroendocrine tumours, with acceptable toxicity.

CD8+ T Cells and Endogenous IL-10 Are Required for Resolution of Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krukowski, Karen; Eijkelkamp, Niels; Laumet, Geoffroy; Hack, C Erik; Li, Yan; Dougherty, Patrick M; Heijnen, Cobi J; Kavelaars, Annemieke

2016-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), characterized by pain and numbness in hands and feet, is a common side effect of cancer treatment. In most patients, symptoms of CIPN subside after treatment completion. However, in a substantial subgroup, CIPN persists long into survivorship.

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of locally advanced cervix cancer: a systematic review

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Mohammed Osman

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced cervix cancer has comparable benefits to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT, but with fewer side effects. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the management of locally advanced cervix cancer from stage IB2 (tumor >4.0 cm to IIIB (tumor extending to the pelvic wall and/or hydronephrosis. Our primary objective was to assess benefits in terms of survival. The data source included the USA national library of medicine, Medline search, and the National Cancer Institute PDQ Clinical Protocols. Inclusion criteria for consideration in the current systematic review included studies published between January 1997 and December 2012. In terms of histology, they had to be focused on squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and/or adenocarcinoma. Patients should be either chemotherapy naïve or cervix cancer chemotherapy naïve, and have a performance status ≤2. The search in the above-mentioned scientific websites led to identify 49 publications, 19 of which were excluded, as they did not meet the inclusion criteria of this systematic review. Therefore only 30 studies were deemed eligible. Data was collected from 1760 patients enrolled in the current systematic review study. The mean age was 45.2 years. The mean tumor size was 4.7 cm. The most commonly used chemotherapies were cisplatin doublets. Paclitaxel was the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent in the doublets. The mean chemotherapy cycles were 2.7. After chemotherapy, patients underwent surgery after a mean time of 2.5 weeks. The standard operation was radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Chemotherapy achieved an objective response rate of 84%. The 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 61.9% and 72.8% respectively. The treatment protocol was associated

Cystic craniopharyngioma: intratumoral chemotherapy with alpha interferon

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Patrícia Alessandra Dastoli

2011-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the cystic craniopharyngiomas can be controlled with the use of intratumoral applications of interferon alpha. METHOD: Nineteen patients with the diagnosis of cystic craniopharyngioma were treated with intratumoral chemotherapy with interferon alpha from January 2002 to April 2006. All patients underwent placement of an intracystic catheter connected to an Ommaya reservoir. Through this reservoir were made applications during chemotherapy cycles. Each cycle corresponded to application of 3,000,000 units of interferon alpha three times per week on alternate days totalizing 36,000,000 units. Response to treatment was evaluated by calculating the tumor volume on MRI control after one, three and six months after the end of each cycle. Patients who developed worsening of symptoms or who had insignificant reduction in tumor volume during follow-up underwent repeat cycle chemotherapy. RESULTS: Four patients received four cycles of chemotherapy, three patients received three cycles, six patients received two cycles and six patients received one. The lower percentage of reduction in tumor volume was 60% and the bigger reduction was 98.37%. Eleven patients had a reduction greater than 90%. Five patients had a tumor reduction between 75 and 90% and in three patients the tumors were reduced by less than 75%. No deaths occurred during treatment and side effects of interferon alpha were well tolerated. No treatment was discontinued. Follow-up after the last application ranged from one year and five months to three years and nine months. CONCLUSION: The intratumoral chemotherapy with interferon alpha decreases the volume of cystic craniopharyngiomas and so far can be considered a new therapeutic alternative.

The Effect of Consolidation Chemotherapy for LA-NSCLC Patients Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

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Yelda Varol

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Aim: The efficacy and safety of consolidation chemotherapy (CCT following concurrent chemoradiotherapy are not adequately established for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC. In this context, the present study aims to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of CCT.Material and Method: We retrospectively analyzed the overall survival (OS and progression-free survival (PFS of 83 LA-NSCLC patients treated with concurrent CRT as an initial treatment with (n:20 or without CCT (n:63. All patients were cytohistologically proven to have NSCLC and diagnosed with clinical Stage III (n:48 for IIIA and n:35 for IIIB according to the staging system published by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC in 2009. All patients received curative thoracic radiotherapy with concurrent platinum doublet chemotherapy. Results: The mean age of the lung cancer patients was 59 (±7.3; 89.2% were male (n:74,and there were only 9 female patients (10.8%.When we compared the outcome of LA-NSCLC patients treated with CCT (median 10.4 months to the patients treated without CCT (median 13.8 months, the log-rank analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference for an inferior progression-free survival (p=0.046 in patients receiving CCT. However, no significant association was observed for overall survival (17.4, 21 months, respectively (p>0.05. Patients with CCT presented higher levels of hematological side effects compared with the patients without CCT (p

Nongenotoxic p53 activation protects cells against S-phase-specific chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kranz, Dominique; Dobbelstein, Matthias

2006-01-01

Mutations in the tumor suppressor gene TP53 represent the most frequent genetic difference between tumor cells and normal cells. Here, we have attempted to turn this difference into an advantage for normal cells during therapy. Using the Mdm2 antagonist nutlin-3, we first activated p53 in U2OS an...... a killer to a protector of cells, with the potential to reduce unwanted side effects of chemotherapy....

A herbal composition (hemohim) as a complementary agent for cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy

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Jo, Sung-Kee; Park, Hae-Ran; Jung, Uhee; Choi, Soo Young; Kim, Sung-Ho

2016-01-01

HemoHIM significantly reduced the damage of liver and kidney by cisplatin. In a preliminary clinical study, 85 patients, diagnosed with breast or uterine cervix cancer, were administered with HemoHIM (6 g/day) for 12 weeks during radiation and/or chemotherapy. Age-matched 209 patients were monitored as control group. In the HemoHIM group, fewer cases of severe leucopenia (<3,000 leukocytes/mm 3 ) were shown compared with the control group, and it was more evident in the breast cancer patients. In conclusion, HemoHIM may be a beneficial supplement during radiotherapy and chemotherapy for enhancing the anti-tumor efficacy and reducing the side effects

Effects of Yifukang Oral Liquid on Chemotherapy- and Radiotherapy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To investigate the effects of Yifukang oral liquid (YFKOL) on chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced myelosuppression, leucopenia and gastrointestinal tract disturbances. Methods: The effects of YFKOL on myelosuppression, leucopenia and gastrointestinal tract disturbances were assessed by ...

What side effects are problematic for patients prescribed antipsychotic medication? The Maudsley Side Effects (MSE) measure for antipsychotic medication.

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Wykes, T; Evans, J; Paton, C; Barnes, T R E; Taylor, D; Bentall, R; Dalton, B; Ruffell, T; Rose, D; Vitoratou, S

2017-10-01

Capturing service users' perspectives can highlight additional and different concerns to those of clinicians, but there are no up to date, self-report psychometrically sound measures of side effects of antipsychotic medications. Aim To develop a psychometrically sound measure to identify antipsychotic side effects important to service users, the Maudsley Side Effects (MSE) measure. An initial item bank was subjected to a Delphi exercise (n = 9) with psychiatrists and pharmacists, followed by service user focus groups and expert panels (n = 15) to determine item relevance and language. Feasibility and comprehensive psychometric properties were established in two samples (N43 and N50). We investigated whether we could predict the three most important side effects for individuals from their frequency, severity and life impact. MSE is a 53-item measure with good reliability and validity. Poorer mental and physical health, but not psychotic symptoms, was related to side-effect burden. Seventy-nine percent of items were chosen as one of the three most important effects. Severity, impact and distress only predicted 'putting on weight' which was more distressing, more severe and had more life impact in those for whom it was most important. MSE is a self-report questionnaire that identifies reliably the side-effect burden as experienced by patients. Identifying key side effects important to patients can act as a starting point for joint decision making on the type and the dose of medication.

Therapeutic effect of intra-arterial chemotherapy with DDP and 5-FU via bilateral uterine arteries for advanced uterine cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Kang; Li Xiaoguang; Jin Zhengyu; Yang Ning; Liu Wei; Pan Jie; Zhang Xiaobo; Shi Haifeng; Sun Hao; Wang Zhiwei

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of intra-arterial chemotherapy with Ddp and 5-Fu via bilateral uterine arteries for advanced uterine cervical cancer. Methods: During the period of Jan. 2006-Jan. 2009, initial intra-arterial chemotherapy by using a combination of Ddp and 5-Fu via bilateral uterine arteries was performed in 72 patients (mean age 42.9 years) with advanced uterine cervical caner. Of 72 patients, stage I b2 cervical cancer was confirmed in 28, stage II a in 12 and stage II b in 32. Pathologically, cervical squamous cell carcinoma was seen in 56 and cervical adenocarcinoma in 16 patients. Ultrasonography and physical examination were conducted both before and after intra-arterial chemotherapy. The therapeutic results,complications,the surgical resection rate and the pathologic findings were observed and statistically analyzed. Results: Fifty-four patients received one treatment course and 18 patients received two treatment courses. The over all response rate was 77.8%. The response rates of patients with I b2, II a and II b cervical cancer were 92.9%, 83.3% and 62.5% respectively, the difference between three groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). And the response rates of patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were 85.7% and 50.0% respectively, the difference between the two was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The most common side-effects included gastrointestinal symptoms and bone marrow suppression. Thirty-four patients received radical hysterectomy,among them, 22 (78.6%) had stage I b2, 8 (66.7%) had stage II a and 4 (12.5%) had stage II b cervical cancer (P < 0.05). Pathologic exam found no vaginal invasion and ovarian metastasis in all 34 patients. The occurrence of metastasis to lymph nodes and para uterine infiltration were 17.6% and 11.8% respectively. Conclusion: Intra-arterial chemotherapy with a combination of DDP and 5-Fu via bilateral uterine arteries can safely and effectively reduce the

Granisetron: a review of pharmacokinetics and clinical experience in chemotherapy induced - nausea and vomiting.

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Spartinou, Anastasia; Nyktari, Vasileia; Papaioannou, Alexandra

2017-12-01

Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are major side effects of chemotherapy and a great burden to patients' quality of life. Serotonin and substance P are the major neurotransmitters involved in the pathophysiology of CINV, but in spite of new antiemetics no completely effective regime exists for its prevention or treatment. Areas covered: In this review the authors provide a detailed description of granisetron's chemistry pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicity and a brief review of clinical trials involving granisetron and the management of CINV. We searched reviews, meta-analysis and randomized controlled trials (Medline, Embase and article reference lists). Expert opinion: According to current literature, granisetron 2 mg orally or 0,01mg/kg (1 mg) intravenously per day, co-administered with dexamethasone and NK-1 antagonists is the recommended regime for highly emetogenic chemotherapy. In the future the role of transdermal and subcutaneous formulations against delayed CINV will be clarified and probably enhance patients' convenience.

Treatment side effects and follow-up of malignant melanoma; Therapienebenwirkungen und Nachsorge bei malignem Melanom

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Stahl, T. [Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen gGmbH, Zentralinstitut fuer diagnostische und interventionelle Radiologie, Ludwigshafen (Germany); Loquai, C. [Universitaetsmedizin der Johannes-Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz, Hautklinik und Poliklinik, Mainz (Germany)

2015-01-30

Side effects in the therapy of malignant melanoma are primarily of importance for radiologists in advanced tumor stages. The available treatment options and their respective side effect profiles have undergone a profound change in recent years after the introduction of modern oncological therapies (e.g. immunotherapy and targeted therapy) with an increasing focus on individual tumor biology and differ significantly from those of classical chemotherapy. The immunotherapeutic agents, in particular ipilimumab, take on a special position because of their specific immune-mediated mechanisms of action and the associated side effects, so-called immune-related adverse events (irAE). The majority of the treatment effects are manifested on the skin (> 50 %) and are generally not detectable by diagnostic radiology. Only a comparatively small proportion of treatment side effects is detectable with diagnostic imaging (15-20 %) but as in the example of therapy-induced colitis with ipilimumab, may be rapidly fatal. In addition to colitis (10-20 %) further therapy side effects apparent in diagnostic imaging are hypophysitis (1.8-17 %), thyroiditis (0.8 %), myositis (1.7 %), fasciitis and sarcoid-like lymph node alterations (6.8 %). To detect radiologically detectable side effects early on and to delineate them especially from tumor progression and (opportunistic) infections, detailed knowledge of the therapeutic methods for melanoma, the mechanisms of action and in particular the sometimes very specific side effects is imperative for radiologists. (orig.) [German] Nebenwirkungen der Therapie des malignen Melanoms sind fuer den Radiologen primaer in fortgeschrittenen Tumorstadien von Bedeutung. Die zur Verfuegung stehenden Therapieoptionen und ihre jeweiligen Nebenwirkungsprofile haben sich in den letzten Jahren nach Einfuehrung moderner onkologischer Therapieoptionen, die sich zunehmend an der individuellen Tumorbiologie orientieren (zielgerichtete Therapie, Immuntherapie), einem

Patient perspectives on breast cancer treatment side effects and the prospective surveillance model for physical rehabilitation for women with breast cancer.

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Binkley, Jill M; Harris, Susan R; Levangie, Pamela K; Pearl, Marcia; Guglielmino, Janine; Kraus, Valerie; Rowden, Diana

2012-04-15

Women's experience of breast cancer is complex, affecting all aspects of life during and after treatment. Patients' perspectives about common impairments and functional limitations secondary to breast cancer treatment, including upper extremity motion restriction, lymphedema, fatigue, weight gain, pain, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, are addressed. Women often report being uninformed regarding these side effects and surprised that they do not always disappear after treatment, but remain part of their lives. Breast cancer patients express strong, unmet needs for education, information, and intervention for these side effects. Evidence suggests that rehabilitation and exercise are effective in preventing and managing many physical side effects of breast cancer treatment. Nevertheless, few women are referred to rehabilitation during or after treatment, and fewer receive baseline assessments of impairment and function to facilitate early detection of impairment and functional limitations. The prospective surveillance model of rehabilitation will serve the needs of women with breast cancer by providing education and information about treatment side effects, reducing the incidence and burden of side effects through early identification and treatment, and enhancing access to timely rehabilitation. Integration of exercise as a component of the model benefits patients at every phase of survivorship, by addressing individual concerns about exercise during and after treatment and highlighting the important contribution of exercise to overall health and survival. The prospective surveillance model of rehabilitation can meet the evident and often expressed needs of survivors for information, guidance, and intervention--thus addressing, and potentially improving, overall quality of life for individuals diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 American Cancer Society.

Effect of massive administration of cepharanthin on leukopenia in radio- and chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otani, Katsumi

1975-01-01

Cepharanthin was given to the patients with cancer who received radio- and chemotherapy, and the blood findings were examined. Subjects were 30 patients of 19 patients with cancer of the cervix of the uterus, 5 with ovarian cancer and 6 with choriepithelioma. Sixty mg. of cepharanthin was orally administered every day at the same time when the therapy was initiated, and the blood findings were obserbed. When the therapy was completed, the decrease rate of leukocyte count was less than 20% in 23 patients (76.6%), showing an obvious recovery of leukocyte count at the termination of the therapy. Blood platelet count decreased to less than 5x10 4 in only 2 patients, and it was nothing but a temporary decrease. Although a little variation was found in the values of red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, GOT and GPT, the variation was considered to remain in normal range. There was no severe side effect caused by cepharanthin. (Kanao, N.)

Optimization of combination chemotherapy based on the calculation of network entropy for protein-protein interactions in breast cancer cell lines

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Carels Nicolas

2015-12-01

We propose several novel drug combinations using only the approved drugs for the inactivation of the target identified in this study with the purpose of increasing patient survival and lowering the deleterious side effects of cancer chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy as an adjuvant to Radiotherapy in treatment of Retinoblastoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, A.H.M.

2015-01-01

Retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy of childhood. A potentially curable cancer, its treatment has improved significantly over the last few decades. Various studies show that while enucleation remains the standard of care for advanced intraocular tumours, conservative modalities that can result in globe salvage and preservation of useful vision are being increasingly employed. Such modalities include systemic chemotherapy, focal consolidation with transpupillary thermo therapy, laser photocoagulation and cryotherapy, plaque brachytherapy, and delivery of local chemotherapy using subconjunctival, sub-tenon, or intra-arterial routes. When used alone or in combination, these treatment modalities can help in avoidance of external beam radiotherapy or enucleation, thus reducing the potential for long-term side effects, while salvaging useful vision. Radioactive plaque brachytherapy has an established role in selected patients with intraocular retinoblastoma. Local injections of chemotherapeutic agents via the sub-tenon or sub-conjunctival route have been used with varying degrees of success, usually as an adjunct to systemic chemotherapy. Intra-arterial ophthalmic artery delivery of melphalan has shown promising results.

[Phase II clinical trial of two different modes of administration of the induction chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Ting; Jin, Feng; Wu, Weili; Long, Jinhua; Li, Yuanyuan; Gong, Xiuyun; Luo, Xiuling; Li, Zhuoling; He, Qianyong; Qu, Bo

2015-09-01

To compare the therapeutic effects, toxic side effects and influence on the immune function in patients treated with TPF [docetaxel (DOC) + cisplatin (DDP) + 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)] induction chronochemotherapy and conventional chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal (NPC). Seventy patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated in our department at their first visit from April 2013 to December 2013. They were divided randomly into two groups: the chronochemotherapy group (38 patients) and conventional chemotherapy group (32 patients). All of the patients were treated with TPF regimen with 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy in a 21-28-days/cycle. The chronochemotherapy group: DOC: 75 mg/m2, i. v. gtt, d1 (03: 30-04: 30); DDP: 75 mg/m2, 10 am-10 pm, c.i.v, d1-d5; 5-Fu: 750 mg·m(-2)·d(-1), 10 pm-10 am, c. i.v., d1-d5, both chemotherapies were administered by intravenous infusion using an automatic electric pump. The conventional chemotherapy group: Both DOC and DDP were administered intravenously at a dose of 75 mg/m2 on d1. 5-Fu was given at a dose of 750 mg/m2 for 24 hours from d1-d5 with continuous infusion in a total of 120 hours. In this procedure, prescribing the conventional intravenous infusion, intensity modulated radiation therapy was used after the induction chemotherapy. The prescribed nasopharyngeal lesion dose (GTVnx) was 69.96 Gy/33 fractions for the T1-T2 nasopharygeal cancer, while 73.92 Gy/33 fractions nasopharynx lesion dose (GTVnx) for the T3-T4 nasopharyngeal cancer. The planning target volume (PTV) of positive lymph node (PTVnd) dose was 69.96 Gy/33 fractions. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy: cisplatin 100 mg/m2, i. v. gtt. d1-d2, and there were two cycles in total and 21 days each cycle. Sixty-six patients were evaluable for the response assessment. There were 36 patients in the chronochemotherapy group and 30 patients in the conventional chemotherapy group. After the induction chemotherapy, no CR case was found in

Ice massage on chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting

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Mehdi Sadeghi Shermeh

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of chemotherapy. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of ice massage applied to the pericardium 6 (P6 or Neigaun acupuncture point on nausea– vomiting due to chemotherapy in cancer patient. Materials and Methods: In a randomized clinical trial one- blind, 114 patients were randomly divided into three groups. Ice massage group were massaged gently on the skin around P6 point of the hand with ice cube into a wet gauze pad for 7 minutes twice a day with 12-hours interval for 24 hours by the patient. Placebo group were massaged with wooden cube and the control group received no interventions. Nausea and vomiting in three groups rated by Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis (MANE Questionnaire in 4 periods of time in 24 hours was used for the assessment of nausea and vomiting. Results: There were significant decreases in the frequency of nausea (P<0.01 and vomiting (P<0.03 and a decrease in the intensity of nausea (P=0.63 and vomiting (P=0.34 in the case group. Frequency of nausea was significantly lower among placebo group than the control group (P<0.02. Conclusion: Ice massage on Neigaun point is effective on reducing the frequency of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. Placebos, patient-practitioner relationship, suggestion, and the patient's view on nausea and vomiting and the role of interaction between the therapist and the patient is effective to some extent.

Radio chemotherapy for uterine cervix carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Resbeut, M.; Alzieu, C.; Gonzague-Casabianca, L.; Haie-Meder, C.

2000-01-01

Low-stage uterine cervix carcinoma can be treated by either surgery, radiation therapy or combined treatments with high cure rates ranging from 90 to 95 % for stage IB1 tumors. However, the standard treatment, combining external beam plus intracavitary radiation, fails to control the progression of the disease in 35 to 90 % of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. No substantial improvements have been made in the treatment of these tumors in the past two decades. The addition of concurrent 5-FU in a phase III study failed to improve the results in the overall patient population, but the five-year DFS was significantly better in a subset of patients (tumor > 5 cm and IB/IIA or medial parametrial IIB disease). Concurrent chemo-radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy with epirubicin showed, in a phase III study, a significant longer DFS in patients treated with chemotherapy despite the same long-term local tumor control. After many phase II studies, five phase III studies have recently demonstrated a 40 to 60 % reduction in the relative risk of recurrence with cisplatin containing chemo-radiation. Across these studies, the risk of death was reduced by 30 to 50 %. The benefit was less clear in patients with stages III-IV tumors than in patients with lower stages associated with poor prognostic factors. Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity of chemo-radiation was greater than that of radiotherapy alone. However, late side effects were similar in the different treatment groups. These results must be confirmed with a longer follow-up. The importance of concurrent chemotherapy during the brachytherapy procedure should be analyzed. It has yet to be determined which chemotherapy regimen achieves the most favorable therapeutic ratio. (authors)

Clinical analysis of 125I seed implants in worst-casts of the malignant tumors after radiography and chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zhijun; Tu Xinhua; Zhou Aiqing; Wang Xueqin

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the curative effect and side reaction after 125 I seed implanted among tissue were treated the malignant neoplasm by radiography and chemotherapy. Methods: Retrospective analysis the cancerous sufferer after the failure of radiography and chemotherapy, percutaneous puncture or intraoperative under gaze forward 125 I seed were implanted the bed of the tumour forever. Follow-up blood routine examination, symptom, sign, using USG or CT observe the change of the tumour and the distribution of the particles etc. Results: In 3 cases, treat 2 cases, tumour reduced obviously, symptoms improved obviously, the face of the ulcer cured, the particles did not shift, hemogram did not decline obviously. Conclusion: 125 I seed among the tissue implanted forever for the unsuccessful case after radiography and chemotherapy supply a new therapeutic methods. In the neat future curative effect is exactly, toxic reaction is small, which can remedy the deficiency of the treatment for radiography and chemotherapy. (authors)

Meanings of quality of life held by patients with colorectal cancer in the context of chemotherapy1

Science.gov (United States)

Buetto, Luciana Scatralhe; Zago, Marcia Maria Fontão

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: this study's aim was to interpret the meanings assigned to quality of life by patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHOD: the ethnographic method and the medical anthropology theoretical framework were used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations with 16 men and women aged from 43 to 75 years old undergoing chemotherapy in a university hospital. RESULTS: the meanings and senses describe biographical ruptures, loss of normality of life, personal and social suffering, and the need to respond to chemotherapy's side effects; chemotherapy is seen as a transitional stage for a cure. Quality of life is considered unsatisfactory because the treatment imposes personal and social limitations and QoL is linked to resuming normal life. CONCLUSIONS: the meanings show the importance of considering sociocultural aspects in the conceptualization and assessment of quality of life. PMID:26155014

High-dose chemotherapy and auto-SCT for relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma patients refractory to first-line salvage chemotherapy but responsive to second-line salvage chemotherapy.

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Rauf, Muhammad Shahzad; Maghfoor, Irfan; Elhassan, Tusneem Ahmed M; Akhtar, Saad

2015-01-01

Relapsed or primary refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients refractory to first-line salvage chemotherapy (first salvage) and unable to undergo high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplant (auto-SCT) have very poor outcome. Some patients are offered second-line salvage chemotherapy (second salvage), if they are responsive and may receive HDC auto-SCT. We identified 31 patients (18 males, 13 females) from 1996-2012 who received second salvage prior to auto-SCT. Median age at auto-SCT is 22 years. Patients were grouped as (1) relapsed-refractory (Rel:Ref): patients with prior complete response (CR) and on relapse found refractory to first salvage and received second salvage and (2) refractory-refractory (Ref:Ref): patients refractory to both primary treatment and first salvage and received second salvage. Median follow-up is 63 months (18-170). Disease status after second salvage prior to HDC was CR 16 %, partial response (PR) 71 % and stable disease 13 %. After HDC auto-SCT, CR:PR: progressive disease was observed in 18 (58 %): four (12 %): nine (29 %) patients, respectively. Five-year overall survival (OS) for whole group is 57 % (Rel:Ref vs. Ref:Ref, 73 % vs. 48 %, p = 0.48). Progression-free survival (PFS) for whole group is 52 % (Rel:Ref vs. Ref:Ref, 73 % vs. 40 % respectively, p = 0.11). Second-line salvage is a valid approach with no long-term side effects for those HL patients who do not respond to first-line salvage chemotherapy and they can be candidate of HDC and stem cell transplant with a high ORR, the PFS and OS in relapse-refractory and refractory-refractory group of patients.

The Social Side Effects of Acetaminophen

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Mischkowski, Dominik

About 23% of all adults in the US take acetaminophen during an average week (Kaufman, Kelly, Rosenberg, Anderson, & Mitchell, 2002) because acetaminophen is an effective physical painkiller and easily accessible over the counter. The physiological side effects of acetaminophen are well documented and generally mild when acetaminophen is consumed in the appropriate dosage. In contrast, the psychological and social side effects of acetaminophen are largely unknown. Recent functional neuroimaging research suggests that the experience of physical pain is fundamentally related to the experience of empathy for the pain of other people, indicating that pharmacologically reducing responsiveness to physical pain also reduces cognitive, affective, and behavioral responsiveness to the pain of others. I tested this hypothesis across three double-blind between-subjects drug intervention studies. Two experiments showed that acetaminophen had moderate effects on empathic affect, specifically personal distress and empathic concern, and a small effect on empathic cognition, specifically perceived pain, when facing physical and social pain of others. The same two experiments and a third experiment also showed that acetaminophen can increase the willingness to inflict pain on other people, i.e., actual aggressive behavior. This effect was especially pronounced among people low in dispositional empathic concern. Together, these findings suggest that the physical pain system is more involved in the regulation of social cognition, affect, and behavior than previously assumed and that the experience of physical pain and responsiveness to the pain of others share a common neurochemical basis. Furthermore, these findings suggest that acetaminophen has unappreciated but serious social side effects, and that these side effects may depend on psychological characteristics of the drug consumer. This idea is consistent with recent theory and research on the context-dependency of neurochemical

Chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for early stage Hodgkin lymphoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herbst, Christine; Rehan, Fareed Ahmed; Skoetz, Nicole

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Combined modality treatment (CMT) consisting of chemotherapy followed by localised radiotherapy is standard treatment for patients with early stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). However, due to long term adverse effects such as secondary malignancies, the role of radiotherapy has been...... chemotherapy regimen plus radiotherapy. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials comparing chemotherapy alone with CMT in patients with early stage HL. Trials in which the chemotherapy differed between treatment arms were excluded. Trials with more than 20% of patients in advanced stage were also...... excluded. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Effect measures used were hazard ratios (HR) for tumour control and OS as well as relative risks for response rates. Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed quality of trials. We contacted study authors to obtain missing information. Since none...

Targeting chemotherapy-resistant leukemia by combining DNT cellular therapy with conventional chemotherapy.

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Chen, Branson; Lee, Jong Bok; Kang, Hyeonjeong; Minden, Mark D; Zhang, Li

2018-04-24

While conventional chemotherapy is effective at eliminating the bulk of leukemic cells, chemotherapy resistance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a prevalent problem that hinders conventional therapies and contributes to disease relapse, and ultimately patient death. We have recently shown that allogeneic double negative T cells (DNTs) are able to target the majority of primary AML blasts in vitro and in patient-derived xenograft models. However, some primary AML blast samples are resistant to DNT cell therapy. Given the differences in the modes of action of DNTs and chemotherapy, we hypothesize that DNT therapy can be used in combination with conventional chemotherapy to further improve their anti-leukemic effects and to target chemotherapy-resistant disease. Drug titration assays and flow-based cytotoxicity assays using ex vivo expanded allogeneic DNTs were performed on multiple AML cell lines to identify therapy-resistance. Primary AML samples were also tested to validate our in vitro findings. Further, a xenograft model was employed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining conventional chemotherapy and adoptive DNT therapy to target therapy-resistant AML. Lastly, blocking assays with neutralizing antibodies were employed to determine the mechanism by which chemotherapy increases the susceptibility of AML to DNT-mediated cytotoxicity. Here, we demonstrate that KG1a, a stem-like AML cell line that is resistant to DNTs and chemotherapy, and chemotherapy-resistant primary AML samples both became more susceptible to DNT-mediated cytotoxicity in vitro following pre-treatment with daunorubicin. Moreover, chemotherapy treatment followed by adoptive DNT cell therapy significantly decreased bone marrow engraftment of KG1a in a xenograft model. Mechanistically, daunorubicin increased the expression of NKG2D and DNAM-1 ligands on KG1a; blocking of these pathways attenuated DNT-mediated cytotoxicity. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of using DNTs as

Cisplatin as an Anti-Tumor Drug: Cellular Mechanisms of Activity, Drug Resistance and Induced Side Effects

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Florea, Ana-Maria; Büsselberg, Dietrich

2011-01-01

Platinum complexes are clinically used as adjuvant therapy of cancers aiming to induce tumor cell death. Depending on cell type and concentration, cisplatin induces cytotoxicity, e.g., by interference with transcription and/or DNA replication mechanisms. Additionally, cisplatin damages tumors via induction of apoptosis, mediated by the activation of various signal transduction pathways, including calcium signaling, death receptor signaling, and the activation of mitochondrial pathways. Unfortunately, neither cytotoxicity nor apoptosis are exclusively induced in cancer cells, thus, cisplatin might also lead to diverse side-effects such as neuro- and/or renal-toxicity or bone marrow-suppression. Moreover, the binding of cisplatin to proteins and enzymes may modulate its biochemical mechanism of action. While a combination-chemotherapy with cisplatin is a cornerstone for the treatment of multiple cancers, the challenge is that cancer cells could become cisplatin-resistant. Numerous mechanisms of cisplatin resistance were described including changes in cellular uptake, drug efflux, increased detoxification, inhibition of apoptosis and increased DNA repair. To minimize cisplatin resistance, combinatorial therapies were developed and have proven more effective to defeat cancers. Thus, understanding of the biochemical mechanisms triggered by cisplatin in tumor cells may lead to the design of more efficient platinum derivates (or other drugs) and might provide new therapeutic strategies and reduce side effects

Cisplatin as an Anti-Tumor Drug: Cellular Mechanisms of Activity, Drug Resistance and Induced Side Effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Florea, Ana-Maria [Department of Neuropathology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf (Germany); Büsselberg, Dietrich, E-mail: dib2015@qatar-med.cornell.edu [Weil Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Qatar Foundation-Education City, P.O. Box 24144, Doha (Qatar)

2011-03-15

Platinum complexes are clinically used as adjuvant therapy of cancers aiming to induce tumor cell death. Depending on cell type and concentration, cisplatin induces cytotoxicity, e.g., by interference with transcription and/or DNA replication mechanisms. Additionally, cisplatin damages tumors via induction of apoptosis, mediated by the activation of various signal transduction pathways, including calcium signaling, death receptor signaling, and the activation of mitochondrial pathways. Unfortunately, neither cytotoxicity nor apoptosis are exclusively induced in cancer cells, thus, cisplatin might also lead to diverse side-effects such as neuro- and/or renal-toxicity or bone marrow-suppression. Moreover, the binding of cisplatin to proteins and enzymes may modulate its biochemical mechanism of action. While a combination-chemotherapy with cisplatin is a cornerstone for the treatment of multiple cancers, the challenge is that cancer cells could become cisplatin-resistant. Numerous mechanisms of cisplatin resistance were described including changes in cellular uptake, drug efflux, increased detoxification, inhibition of apoptosis and increased DNA repair. To minimize cisplatin resistance, combinatorial therapies were developed and have proven more effective to defeat cancers. Thus, understanding of the biochemical mechanisms triggered by cisplatin in tumor cells may lead to the design of more efficient platinum derivates (or other drugs) and might provide new therapeutic strategies and reduce side effects.

Effectiveness of chemotherapy in measurable granulosa cell tumors: a retrospective study and review of literature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Meurs, Hannah S.; Buist, Marrije R.; Westermann, Anneke M.; Sonke, Gabe S.; Kenter, Gemma G.; van der Velden, Jacobus

2014-01-01

Patients with irresectable granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) often receive chemotherapy. The effectiveness of this approach, however, is uncertain. The aim of our study was to assess the response rate to chemotherapy for residual and recurrent inoperable GCT. All consecutive chemotherapy-naive patients

[A case of breast cancer with multiple hepatic metastasis successfully treated with S-1/PTX and S-1 chemotherapy].

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Hashimoto, Masakazu; Moriyuki, Toshio; Kuranishi, Fumito; Niitsu, Hiroaki; Fujikuni, Nobuaki; Iwako, Hiroshi; Kuroda, Yoshinori

2010-06-01

The case is a woman in her 50's. A total glandectomy was performed for her breast cancer on August 8, 1998, and subsequently chemotherapy(5'-DFUR, CMF, uracil.tegafur, CEF, and docetaxel)as well as radiation therapy and surgical resection have been performed for local recurrence. With multiple hepatic metastasis recognized in September, 2007, chemotherapy combined with S-1/paclitaxel(PTX)has been performed. In view of the side effects such as reduction in appetite and leukocyte, the dosage has been reduced as of the second course of treatment. With the disappearance of hepatic metastasis on CT, 6 courses of S-1monotherapy have been performed after completing 6 courses of chemotherapy combined with S-1/ PTX. As of March, 2009, the therapeutic effect shows that continuous CR and outpatient follow-up have been performed while maintaining QOL. Since any chemotherapy after thirdline treatment for recurrent breast cancer has not been established yet, chemotherapy combined with S-1/PTX is considered to be one of the regimens and therefore, the second and thirdphase clinical tests ahead are expected to bring better outcomes.

Running away from side effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casla, S; Hojman, P; Márquez-Rodas, I

2015-01-01

The number of breast cancer survivors increases every year, thanks to the development of new treatments and screening techniques. However, patients present with numerous side effects that may affect their quality of life. Exercise has been demonstrated to reduce some of these side effects...... be an integrative complementary intervention to improve physiological, physical and psychological factors that affect survival and quality of life of these patients. For that reason, the main objective of this review is to provide a general overview of exercise benefits in breast cancer patients and recommendations...

“Side effects affected my daily activities a lot”: a qualitative exploration of the impact of contraceptive side effects in Bangladesh

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Jain A

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Aparna Jain,1 Laura Reichenbach,1 Iqbal Ehsan,2 Ubaidur Rob2 1Evidence Project, Population Council, Washington, DC, USA; 2Evidence Project, Population Council, Dhaka, Bangladesh Purpose: In a country like Bangladesh that has made great progress in contraceptive use with one of the lowest levels of fertility and highest levels of contraceptive use, understanding what factors influence women’s decisions to discontinue a contraceptive method and not switch to a new method is critical in designing interventions and programs that will help enable Bangladesh to reach its FP2020 goals. Research on side effects has focused on physical manifestations like headaches, moodiness, abdominal pain, and menstrual irregularities. While physical effects alone may stop women from continuing a contraceptive method, less is known about how side effects influence women’s daily activities and lives. The purpose of this study is to understand the ways that side effects affect Bangladeshi women’s participation in different social settings.Methods: Thirty-five in-depth interviews with married women who recently discontinued or switched to a different contraceptive method were conducted in Sylhet and Khulna Divisions. Interviews explored reasons for discontinuation including experience of side effects and impact of side effects on women’s lives.Results: Key themes emerged including that side effects are not only experienced physically but are barriers to women’s participation in many aspects of their lives. The spheres of life that most commonly appeared to be influenced by side effects include religion, household, and sexual intimacy irrespective of method used or residence.Conclusion: Family planning providers need to be aware of these additional consequences associated with contraceptive side effects to provide tailored counseling that recognizes these issues and helps women to mitigate them. For Bangladesh to achieve its FP2020 goals, understanding the

Side Effects: Sleep Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Sleep problems are a common side effect during cancer treatment. Learn how a polysomnogram can assess sleep problems. Learn about the benefits of managing sleep disorders in men and women with cancer.

Impact of group psychotherapy in chemotherapy induced vomiting for treatment of advanced breast and lungs cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pervez, T.; Mein, F.D.; Alharbi, T.M.

2007-01-01

To assess the effect of group psychotherapy in the management of the side effects of chemotherapy treatment in advanced breast and lung cancer. One hundred patients treated with chemotherapy for advanced stage (IIIB and IV) breast and lung cancer were selected with ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. All patients received anti-emetic medications half an hour before chemotherapy. All those patients in this category who completed fist line chemotherapy with 6 cycles were included. Fifty were subjected to group discussions with other patients, family members and medical staff. This was labeled group A. The other 50 were not included in group discussion and were labeled group B. Both the group received similar standard chemotherapy and pre-medication for vomiting as per their disease and chemotherapy schedule. Breast and lung cancer patients were 29 and 21 in each arm respectively. At the end of the discharge, grade 2 and above of vomiting, according to common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) was counted for all patients in both the arms A and B, over full length of treatment for 6 cycles, and then were compared statistically. Mean with standard deviation for adverse event (vomiting) in group A and B was 6.2 + 2.6 and 13.4 + 3.8 respectively per cycle of treatment. It was observed that group psychotherapy had statistically significant effect (p-value <0.05) on the management of vomiting. Group psychotherapy can be used to reduce the incidence of vomiting in advanced breast and lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. (author)

Side Effects of Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists in Asthmatic Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdem, Semiha Bahceci; Nacaroglu, Hikmet Tekin; Unsal Karkiner, Canan Sule; Gunay, Ilker; Can, Demet

2015-10-01

Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) are drugs which have been widely used more than ten years. As the use of LTRAs increases, our knowledge with respect to their side effects increases as well. The objective of our study was to evaluat the observed side effects of LTRAs used in patients with astma. 1024 patients treated only with LTRAs owing to asthma or early wheezing were included in the study for a five-year period. The observed side effects of LTRAs in these patients were retrospectively investigated. The side effects were divided into two parts as psychiatric and non-psychiatric. Among the 1024 cases included in the study, 67.5% of the patients out of 41 with side effects were male, 32.5% were female and the average age was 6.5 years. The rate of patients with asthma was 63.41% and 36.58% of the patients had early wheezing. It was determined that sex, age and diagnosis (early wheezing or asthma) of the patients were ineffective in the emergence of side effects. The average period for the emergence of side effects was the first month. It was observed that hyperactivity was the most frequently observed psychiatric side effect and that abdominal pain was the non-psychiatric side effect. The side effects of LTRAs were common in children. Therefore, patients must be informed at the beginning of the treatment and they must be evaluated at certain intervals.

Exploring the effect of Vitamin E in Cancer Chemotherapy- A Biochemical and Biophysical Insight.

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Bhori, Mustansir; Singh, Kanchanlata; Marar, Thankamani; MuraliKrishna, C

2018-05-16

Many oncologists contend that patient undergoing chemotherapy must avoid antioxidant supplementation as it may interfere with the activity of the drug. In the present investigation, we have explored the influence of vitamin E, a well known antioxidant on Camptothecin (CPT), a potent anti-cancer drug induced cell apoptosis and death of cervical cancer cells. HeLa cells were treated with different concentrations of CPT in presence and absence of 100μm vitamin E. Treated cells were subjected to cytotoxicity studies, catalase assay, DNA fragmentation assay, clonogenic assay and flow cytometry based apoptosis detection. Also, Raman spectroscopy a label free technique which provides global information in conjunction with multivariate tools like PCA, PCLDA and FDA, was investigated to explore vitamin E supplementation induced alterations. Our data based on biochemical and biophysical experimental analysis reveals that CPT causes DNA damage along with protein and lipid alteration culminating in cell death. Importantly, Raman spectroscopic analysis could uniquely differentiate the cluster of control and vitamin E control from CPT and CPT+Vit E treated cells. We conclusively prove that presence of vitamin E at 100μM concentration shows promising antioxidant activity and displays no modulatory role on CPT induced effect, thereby causing no possible hindrance with the efficacy of the drug. Vitamin E may prove beneficial to alleviate chemotherapy associated side effects in patients during clinical settings which may open the doors further for subsequent exploration in in vivo pre clinical studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Effects and side effects of inspections and accountability in education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Wolff, I.; Janssens, F.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an overview of studies into effects and side effects of control mechanisms in education. We focus on effects and side effects of inspection visits and public performance indicators. A first conclusion is that the studies do not provide us with a clear answer to the question of

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of ovarian cancer: focus on carboplatin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurie Markman

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Maurie MarkmanUniversity of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USAAbstract: Both pre-clinical studies and phase 1–2 clinical trials have provided strong support for the potential role of regional drug delivery in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer, a disease process whose major manifestations remain largely localized to the peritoneal cavity in the majority of individuals with this malignancy. The results of 3 phase 3 randomized trials have revealed the favorable impact of primary cisplatin-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy in women who initiate drug treatment with small-volume residual ovarian cancer following an attempt at optimal surgical cytoreduction. Concerns have been raised regarding the toxicity of regional treatment, particularly the side-effect profile associated with cisplatin. One rational approach to improving the tolerability of intraperitoneal chemotherapy is to substitute carboplatin for cisplatin. This review discusses the rationale for and data supporting regional treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer, and highlights the potential role for intraperitoneal carboplatin in this clinical setting.Keywords: ovarian cancer, intraperitoneal chemotherapy, cisplatin, carboplatin

Measuring side effects after radiotherapy for pharynx cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kenneth

2007-01-01

Data on side effects after radiotherapy is needed to establish the benefits and drawbacks of new treatments, but side effects are not quantified as easily as survival or local control. Side effects may be quantified using physical measures. Unfortunately, only few endpoints exist where a physical...... measure is obtainable, and the case of a patient-relevant measure is even rarer. Radiotherapy is often followed by complex symptoms not easily quantifiable by the observer. Quantitative patient reported side effects can be retrieved using validated questionnaires, but this kind of data is often difficult...... to interpret and the correlation with clinically observable or measurable changes not straightforward. The exploitation of the possibilities of highly conformal radiotherapy and multimodality treatment depends on a better understanding of the correlation between dose, volume, modifying factors, and side...

Cancer treatment: fertility and sexual side effects in women

Science.gov (United States)

... Cancer treatment: fertility and sexual side effects in women To use the sharing features on this page, ... Bladder cancer Types of Sexual Side Effects For women, the most common sexual side effects include: Loss ...

Metabolic Side Effects of Lithium

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M. Cagdas Eker

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Lithium is an alkaline ion being used since 19th century. After its widespread use in psychiatric disorders, observed side effects caused skepticism about its therapeutic efficacy. Despite several disadvantages, lithium is one of the indispensible drugs used in affective disorders, especially in bipolar disorder. It became a necessity for physicians to recognize its side effects since lithium is still accepted as a gold standard in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Adverse effects of chronic administration of lithium on several organ systems are widely known. In this article metabolic effects of lithium on thyroid and parathyroid glands, body mass index and kidneys will be discussed along with their mechanisms, clinical findings, possible risk factors and treatment. One of the most common side effect of lithium is hypothyroidism. It has the same clinical and biochemical properties as primary hypothyroidism and observed as subclinical hypothyroidism in the first place. Hypothyroidism, even its subclinical form, may be associated with non-response or inadequate response and is indicated as a risk factor for development of rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Therefore, hypothyroidism should be screened no matter how severe it is and should be treated with thyroid hormone in the presence of clinical hypothyroidism. Weight gain due to lithium administration disturbs the compliance to treatment and negatively affects the course of the illness. Increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and stroke because of weight gain constitute other centers of problem. Indeed, it is of importance to determine the risk factors before treatment, to follow up the weight, to re-organize nutritional habits and to schedule exercises. Another frequent problematic side effect of lithium treatment is renal dysfunction which clinically present as nephrogenic diabetes insipidus with the common symptoms of polyuria and polydipsia. Nephrogenic diabetes

Adjuvant chemotherapy and risk of gastrointestinal, hematologic, and cardiac toxicities in elderly patients with stage III colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chung-Yuan; Chan, Wenyaw; Delclos, George P; Du, Xianglin L

2012-06-01

Randomized trials have established the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III resectable colon cancer but the toxicity has not been well established outside the trial setting. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of various toxicity-related endpoints among the elderly patients. Patients diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 1991 to 2005 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database. Chemotherapy use within 3 months after tumor resection was identified from submitted claims. We reported the 3-month cumulative incidence rate (CIR) for gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicities. The risk of ischemic heart disease in relation to chemotherapy use and length was assessed using Cox regression models, stratified by age and comorbidity subgroups. Of the 12,099 patients, 63.9% (n=7740) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Common gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicities among chemotherapy group include volume depletion disorder (CIR=9.1%), agranulocytosis (CIR=3.4%), diarrhea (CIR=2.4%), nausea and vomiting (CIR=2.3%). Chemotherapy use was significantly associated with the onset of these toxicities [hazard ratio (HR)=2.76; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=2.42-3.15]. The risk of ischemic heart disease was slightly associated with chemotherapy use (HR=1.08, 95% CI=0.96-1.22), but significant only among patients aged colon cancer. On account of the effects of these side effects on treatment discontinuation, rehospitalization, and overall health status, some close monitoring and preventive measures may be emphasized to maximize the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Effect of S-1 chemotherapy and FP chemotherapy on prognosis, imaging characteristics and serum marker levels after operation for gastric carcinoma

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Qing-Hao Gong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the effect of S-1 chemotherapy and FP chemotherapy on prognosis, imaging characteristics and serum marker levels after operation for gastric carcinoma. Methods: A total of 68 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical surgery were included in the study and divided into observation group and control group patients (n=34 according to random number table. Control group received FP chemotherapy, observation group received S-1 chemotherapy, and then differences in serum tumor markers, illnessrelated factors, nutrition indexes and T cell immune function values were compared between two groups. Results: After observation group received systematic chemotherapy, serum tumor markers such as MMP-9, MMP-2, MG7-Ag, TSGF, CA72-4, CA19-9, TP and DpD as well as illness-related factors such as DKK1, MK, Leptin, Exosome and OPN were all lower than those of control group (P<0.05; nutrition and cellular immune function indexes such as TP, ALB, PA, CD4+ T and CD4+ T/ CD8+ T values were higher than those of control group and CD8+ T value was lower than that of control group (P<0.05. Conclusions: S-1 chemotherapy after operation for gastric carcinoma can inhibit the tumor activity and optimize patients’ overall condition, and it has positive clinical significance.

Transarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with high intensity focused ultrasound for the treatment of pancreatic carcinomas: a clinical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yiping; Zhao Jingzhi; Qiao Xinrong; Huang Hankui

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess the clinical value of transarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of pancreatic carcinomas. Methods: A total of 64 patients with inoperable pancreatic carcinomas were randomly divided into study group (n=32) and control group (n=32). Transarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with HIFU was employed in patients of study group, while simple transarterial infusion chemotherapy was conducted in patients of control group. The effective rate, the clinical benefit rate (CBR), the occurrence of side effect and the survival time of the two groups were recorded. The results were compared between the two groups. Results: The effective rate (PR + MR), the median survival time and the one-year survival rate of the study group were 55.56%, 13.0 months and 68.75% respectively, while the effective rate (PR + MR), the median survival time and the one-year survival rate of the control group were 28.57%, 9.0 months and 43.75% respectively. Both the effective rate and the one-year survival rate of the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Compared with pure transarterial infusion chemotherapy, transarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with HIFU can significantly improve the short-term efficacy and increase the one-year survival rate for patients with advanced pancreatic carcinomas. (authors)

Comparative analyses of the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone on patients' electrocardiogram

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Li; Zhang Shulan; Zhang Zhaohui; Wang Junjie; Jia Tingzhen

2005-01-01

Objective: To investigate the change of breast cancer patients' electrocardiogram during combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone for the sake of predicting the cardiotoxicity of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Methods: From January, 1998 to June, 2004, 47 postoperative breast cancer patients were enrolled. Among them 29 patients received chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy (combinative group), and 18 patients received chemotherapy alone (non combinative group). The changes of electrocardiogram were observed and correlation factors were analyzed. Results: Abnormal electrocardiograms were noted in 11 (37.9%) and 2 patients (11.1%) of the combinative group and the non-combinative group respectively(z=-1.977, P=0.048). In the combinative group, heart events were significantly increased in patients above 60 years old (z=- 2.094 P=0.036). The changes of electrocardiogram were not significantly correlative with hypertension history, tumor site, dose of radiotherapy or chemotherapeutic drugs. But the incidence of abnormal electrocardiogram was higher in patients with a hypertension history than in those without it (54.5% vs 27.8%). Conclusion: The abnormalities of electrocardiogram were are more frequent in patients treated with both radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy. Our results suggest that breast cancer patients should be regularly reexamined with electrocardiography during therapy, especially whose age was those have a hypertension history and above 60 years old. (authors)

Clinical nursing of pelvic neoplasm treated with infusion chemotherapy by using an anti-reflux arterial port-catheter system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing Li; Yuan Chanjuan

2011-01-01

Objective: To discuss the clinical nursing care for patients with pelvic neoplasm who were treated with infusion chemotherapy by using an anti-reflux arterial port-catheter system. Methods: After the implantation of an anti-reflux arterial port-catheter system was successfully completed, intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy was carried out in 17 patients with pelvic neoplasm and the infusion chemotherapy was repeated for several times. The pre-procedural clinical nursing care was well done and the technique of proper placement was well grasped. The side effects of chemotherapy drugs and complications were dealt with in time. Medical orientation at discharge time included the protection methods for port-catheter system. Results: Seventeen patients received infusion chemotherapy successfully several times (ranged from 3 to 8 times) with a scheduled regular interval time. No severe complications occurred. No catheter leakage nor obvious irritation and compression symptoms of local skin developed during infusion period. Of the 17 patients, 6 had a complete response, 9 achieved a partial response, while the remaining 2 failed to respond. Conclusion: In accordance with characteristics of infusion chemotherapy by using an anti-reflux arterial port-catheter system, the reasonable and effective nursing care is important to guarantee the achievement of a successful performance and a satisfactory therapeutic result. (authors)

Effects of the association of chemotherapy and radiotherapy on normal mouse skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guigon, M.; Frindel, E.; Tubiana, M.; Hewitt, J.

1978-01-01

The effects of an association of chemotherapy and radiotherapy on the skin of mice were studied. The following drugs were tested; hydroxyurea, Methotrexate, and Bleomycin; they were injected at various times before irradiation. When hydroxyurea was injected 15 min before irradiation, the early and late cutaneous reactions were significantly lower than with irradiation alone. This protective effect corresponds to about 500 rad for an irradiation dose of 2500 rad. In the other protocols, we observed either no increase of the effect as a result of adjuvant chemotherapy (Methotrexate) or slightly increased reactions

Prognostic importance of cell-free DNA in chemotherapy resistant ovarian cancer treated with bevacizumab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steffensen, Karina Dahl; Madsen, Christine Vestergaard; Andersen, Rikke Fredslund

2014-01-01

of EOC in combination with chemotherapy. However, only a minor subgroup will benefit from the treatment and there is an obvious need for new markers to select such patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of single-agent bevacizumab in multiresistant EOC and the importance......-agent bevacizumab treatment in multiresistant EOC appears to be a valuable treatment option with acceptable side-effects. Cell-free DNA showed independent prognostic importance in patients treated with bevacizumab and could be applied as an adjunct for treatment selection.......AIM: Treatment of multiresistant epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is palliative and patients who have become resistant after multiple lines of chemotherapy often have an unmet need for further and less toxic treatment. Anti-angiogenic therapy has attracted considerable attention in the treatment...

Prognosis of development of unfavorable phenomena of chemotherapy in patients with for the first time revealed tuberculosis of lungs

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Danilov A.N.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: development of criteria and a method of prognosing of emergence of adverse side effects to the first mode of chemotherapy at patients with for the first time revealed tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: The analysis of the collateral reactions (CR on tubercular preparations has been carried out at 214 patients receiving treatment at the first mode of chemotherapy. During the treatment an indicator of quality of life by a technique the DIGNITY (health, activity, mood, a condition of intersystem interaction of respiratory and cardiovascular systems of an organism (Hildebrant's coefficient, a vegetative index of Kerdo were estimated at patients. Results. Ufavorable effects on PTP develop at every third patient (33,6%. The CR different types depends on the age and availability of the accompanying pathology. Allergic reactions develop at patients with existence of endocrine pathology (27,8% authentically more often, toxic — at patients with defeats of nervous system (56,3%. Extent of change of an index of Kerdo of 59,4±2,4%, Hildebrant's coefficient 48,9± 1,6% in the first 4 weeks of treatment of the patient corresponds to emergence of CR in the first 3 months of chemotherapy. Conclusion. Dynamics of coefficient of Hildebrant, Kerdo's index and an indicator of treatment, SAN at the initial stages, are considerably associated with the risk of development of side effects of chemotherapy and were a basis of the developed computer system expert for prognosing the development of these complications. The predictive value of system is 76,3% of sensitivity at 84,7% of specificity.

Isolation and characterization of multidrug-resistant side population ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: SP cells in the prostate cancer samples constituted 2.8 %, but fell to 0.6 % after treatment with ... tumor. Keywords: Side population cells, ABC transporters, Cancer stem cells, Chemotherapy, Prostate treatment failure, Tumor recurrence, Drug resistance ..... Identification of human brain tumour initiating cells.

Olanzapine is effective for refractory chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting irrespective of chemotherapy emetogenicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Vig, Sierra; Seibert, Laurel; Green, Myke R

2014-01-01

The role of olanzapine added to a dopamine antagonist and benzodiazepine for the treatment of refractory chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is incompletely characterized in all levels of chemotherapy emetogenicity. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of the addition of olanzapine in adults experiencing refractory CINV stratified by chemotherapy emetogenicity. Thirty-three adults who experienced CINV refractory to guideline-recommended prophylaxis and breakthrough antiemetics (dopamine antagonists and benzodiazepines) and received at least one dose of olanzapine 5-10 mg per os were evaluated. Failure was defined as >5 emesis events in 24 h or more than 10 cumulative doses of rescue antiemetics following first olanzapine dose per treatment cycle. Post hoc analyses investigated variables impacting olanzapine efficacy. The addition of olanzapine demonstrated an overall success rate of 70 %. This success rate did not differ between chemotherapy regimens of high versus low-to-moderate emetogenicity (p = 0.79), prophylaxis with serotonin antagonist plus corticosteroid and aprepitant versus serotonin antagonist alone (p = 0.77), or age over 50 versus ≤50 years (p > 0.99). A trend toward greater benefit was seen in women (p = 0.08). The addition of olanzapine to a dopamine antagonist and benzodiazepine demonstrated high efficacy rates for refractory CINV irrespective of chemotherapy emetogenicity. The high success rates among all groups suggests that incomplete resolution of CINV with prophylactic serotonin antagonists and breakthrough dopamine antagonists plus benzodiazepine may benefit from the addition of olanzapine regardless of gender, degree of chemotherapy emetogenicity, number of prophylactic antiemetics, or age. The trend toward greater control of emesis in women merits further investigation.

Side Effects: Appetite Loss

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer treatments may lower your appetite. Side effects such as nausea, fatigue, or mouth sores can also making eating difficult. Learn how to eat well to avoid losing weight or becoming dehydrated, so you stay strong during treatment.

Chemotherapy effectiveness and mortality prediction in surgically treated osteosarcoma dogs: A validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, A F; Nielen, M; Withrow, S J; Selmic, L E; Burton, J H; Klungel, O H; Groenwold, R H H; Kirpensteijn, J

2016-03-01

Canine osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer, and an important cause of mortality and morbidity, in large purebred dogs. Previously we constructed two multivariable models to predict a dog's 5-month or 1-year mortality risk after surgical treatment for osteosarcoma. According to the 5-month model, dogs with a relatively low risk of 5-month mortality benefited most from additional chemotherapy treatment. In the present study, we externally validated these results using an independent cohort study of 794 dogs. External performance of our prediction models showed some disagreement between observed and predicted risk, mean difference: -0.11 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]-0.29; 0.08) for 5-month risk and 0.25 (95%CI 0.10; 0.40) for 1-year mortality risk. After updating the intercept, agreement improved: -0.0004 (95%CI-0.16; 0.16) and -0.002 (95%CI-0.15; 0.15). The chemotherapy by predicted mortality risk interaction (P-value=0.01) showed that the chemotherapy compared to no chemotherapy effectiveness was modified by 5-month mortality risk: dogs with a relatively lower risk of mortality benefited most from additional chemotherapy. Chemotherapy effectiveness on 1-year mortality was not significantly modified by predicted risk (P-value=0.28). In conclusion, this external validation study confirmed that our multivariable risk prediction models can predict a patient's mortality risk and that dogs with a relatively lower risk of 5-month mortality seem to benefit most from chemotherapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects and Mechanisms of Transcutaneous Electroacupuncture on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xing Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nausea and vomiting are one of the major complications of chemotherapy for cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the emetic effects and mechanisms involving serotonin and dopamine of needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture (TEA at Neiguan (PC6 and Jianshi (PC5 on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with cancers. Seventy-two patients with chemotherapy were randomly divided into sham-TEA group (sham-TEA, n=34 and TEA group (n=38. TEA was performed at PC 6 and PC 5 (1 h, bid in combination with granisetron. Sham-TEA was delivered at nonacupoints using the same parameters. We found the following. (1 In the acute phase, the conventional antiemetic therapy using Ondansetron effectively reduced nausea and vomiting; the addition of TEA did not show any additive effects. In the delayed phase, however, TEA significantly increased the rate of complete control (P<0.01 and reduced the nausea score (P<0.05, compared with sham-TEA. (2 TEA significantly reduced serum levels of 5-HT and dopamine in comparison with sham-TEA. Those results demonstrate that needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture at PC6 using a watch-size digital stimulator improves emesis and reduces nausea in the delayed phase of chemotherapy in patients with cancers. This antiemetic effect is possibly mediated via mechanisms involving serotonin and dopamine.

Foreknowledge, Caring, and the Side-Effect Effect in Young Children

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Pellizzoni, Sandra; Siegal, Michael; Surian, Luca

2009-01-01

Children and adults often judge that the side effects of the actions of an uncaring story agent have been intentional if the effects are harmful but not if these are beneficial, creating an asymmetrical "side-effect" effect. The authors report 3 experiments involving 4- and 5-year-olds (N = 188) designed to clarify the role of foreknowledge and…

Target Essentiality and Centrality Characterize Drug Side Effects

OpenAIRE

Wang, Xiujuan; Thijssen, Bram; Yu, Haiyuan

2013-01-01

Author Summary The ultimate goal of medical research is to develop effective treatments for disease with minimal side effects. Currently, about 20% of drug candidates failed at clinical trial phases II and III due to safety issues. Therefore, understanding the determining factors of drug side effects is of paramount importance to human health and the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we present the first systematic study to uncover key factors leading to drug side effects within the framework of...

Randomized study of the clinical effects of ω-3 fatty acid-containing enteral nutrition support during neoadjuvant chemotherapy on chemotherapy-related toxicity in patients with esophageal cancer.

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Miyata, Hiroshi; Yano, Masahiko; Yasuda, Takushi; Yamasaki, Makoto; Murakami, Kohei; Makino, Tomoki; Nishiki, Kohei; Sugimura, Keijiro; Motoori, Masaaki; Shiraishi, Osamu; Mori, Masaki; Doki, Yuichiro

2017-01-01

Omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids have potential positive effects during chemotherapy, such as body weight maintenance and muscle mass preservation. However, little is known about the effect this supplement might have on reducing chemotherapy-induced toxicities. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in the reduction of chemotherapy-related toxicities. Sixty-one patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer randomly received ω-3-rich enteral nutrition (EN; n = 31) or ω-3-poor EN support (n = 30) for 15 d during chemotherapy. The daily dosage of ω-3 fatty acids was 900 mg in the ω-3-rich group and 250 mg in the ω-3-poor group. The primary endpoint was the frequency of grade 3/4 neutropenia, and secondary endpoints included other chemotherapy-related adverse events, body weight, and inflammatory markers. The total and dietary intake calories during chemotherapy were equal in both groups. There was no significant difference in the body weight change after chemotherapy between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3/4 leukopenia and neutropenia (P > 0.05). However, stomatitis was significantly less frequent in the ω-3-rich group, than in the ω-3-poor group (P = 0.018). Grade 3/4 diarrhea occurred relatively less frequently in the ω-3-rich group than in the ω-3-poor group; however, this difference was not significant (16.1% versus 36.7%, respectively, P = 0.068). Increases in the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were seen significantly less frequently in the ω-3-rich group than in the ω-3-poor group (P = 0.012 and P = 0.015, respectively). ω-3-rich EN support decreased the frequency of chemotherapy-induced mucosal toxicities, such as stomatitis and diarrhea, and exhibited a hepatoprotective effect during chemotherapy, compared with the ω-3-poor EN support. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights

[Effect of Supportan on nutritional status and immune function of late-staged gastric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Hai-jun; Ying, Jie-er; Ma, Sheng-lin

2006-09-01

To evaluate the effect of Supportan, an enteral nutrition (EN) specific for tumor patients, on the nutritional status and immune function of late-staged gastric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Sixty-six late-staged gastric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were randomly divided into EN group (n=33) and control group (n=33). During chemotherapy, the patients in EN group received Supportan and the patients in the control group received basic diet. On the 14th day before chemotherapy and after chemotherapy, nutritional status and cell immune indicators were evaluated. As for nutrition indicators, there were no significant differences in EN group before and after chemotherapy (P > 0.05). Total protein, hemoglobin, prealbumin and transferrin significantly decreased after chemotherapy compared with those before chemotherapy in the control group (Pnutrition in EN group were superior to that in the control group, however, the differences were not statistically significant. The incidences of nausea, vomiting and marrow inhibition in Supportan group was lower compared with those in the control group, but with no significant difference. Supportan can prevent malnutrition of the late-staged gastric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and improve immune function and alleviate adverse effects of chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer survivors' acceptance of treatment side effects evolves as goals of care change over the cancer continuum.

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Frey, Melissa K; Ellis, Annie E; Koontz, Laura M; Shyne, Savannah; Klingenberg, Bernhard; Fields, Jessica C; Chern, Jing-Yi; Blank, Stephanie V

2017-08-01

Women with ovarian cancer can have long overall survival and goals of treatment change over time from cure to remission to stable disease. We sought to determine whether survivors' acceptance of treatment side effects also changes over the disease continuum. Women with ovarian cancer completed an online survey focusing on survivors' goals and priorities. The survey was distributed through survivor networks and social media. Four hundred and thirty-four women visited the survey website and 328 (76%) completed the survey. Among participants, 141 (43%) identified themselves as having ever recurred, 119 (36%) were undergoing treatment at the time of survey completion and 86 (26%) had received four or more chemotherapy regimens. Respondents' goals of care were cure for 115 women (35%), remission for 156 (48%) and stable disease for 56 (17%). When asked what was most meaningful, 148 women (45%) reported overall survival, 135 (41%) reported quality of life and 40 (12%) reported progression-free survival. >50% of survivors were willing to tolerate the following symptoms for the goal of cure: fatigue (283, 86%), alopecia (281, 86%), diarrhea (232, 71%), constipation (227, 69%), neuropathy (218, 66%), arthralgia (210, 64%), sexual side effects (201, 61%), reflux symptoms (188, 57%), memory loss (180, 55%), nausea/vomiting (180, 55%), hospitalization for treatment side effects (179, 55%) and pain (169, 52%). The rates of tolerance for most symptoms decreased significantly as the goal of treatment changed from cure to remission to stable disease. Women with ovarian cancer willingly accept many treatment side effects when the goal of treatment is cure, however become less accepting when the goal is remission and even less so when the goal is stable disease. Physicians and survivors must carefully consider treatment toxicities and quality of life effects when selecting drugs for patients with incurable disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of neuroblastoma with metaiodobenzylguanidine: results and side effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treuner, J.; Klingebiel, T.; Bruchelt, G.; Feine, U.; Niethammer, D.

1987-01-01

Between April 1984 and December 1985 we treated ten children suffering from neuroblastoma in a total of 25 metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) courses. Five had had a relapse of neuroblastoma stage III or IV, three had never achieved a remission in spite of intensive chemotherapy, and two were treated with an unstable remission. The children were each administered from 1 to 5 courses with a dosage per course of between 1295 and 9065 MBq. The sum of the single doses during the whole course of therapy ranged between 3145 and 21,904 MBq per child. Five of five children suffering from bone pain and fever became free of complaints during the first three treatment days. Six of eight children with manifest tumor at onset of therapy responded well to the treatment: response extended from transitory decrease in elevated catecholamine levels in serum and urine to complete disappearance of large abdominal tumor masses. We also observed a decrease in bone marrow involvement and a stabilization of osteolytic lesions. Seven of these eight children died in spite of a good response from 55 to 350 days after the first MIBG treatment course. The only side effect we witnessed was a reversible bone marrow depression. In three children we combined the MIBG therapy with bone marrow transplantation

Coping – Late Side Effects

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Cancer treatment can cause late side effects that may not show up for months or years after treatment. These late effects may include heart and lung problems, bone loss, eye and hearing changes, lymphedema, and other problems

Potential Proinvasive or Metastatic Effects of Preclinical Antiangiogenic Therapy Are Prevented by Concurrent Chemotherapy.

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Paez-Ribes, Marta; Man, Shan; Xu, Ping; Kerbel, Robert S

2015-12-15

To resolve a controversy involving the therapeutic impact of antiangiogenic drugs and particularly antibodies targeting the VEGF pathway, namely, a body of preclinical mouse therapy studies showing such drugs can promote invasion and/or distant metastasis when used as monotherapies. In contrast, clinical studies have not shown such promalignancy effects. However, most such clinical studies have involved patients also treated with concurrent chemotherapy highlighting the possibility that chemotherapy may prevent any potential promalignancy effect caused by an antiangiogenic drug treatment. The impact of antiangiogenic therapy using DC101, an antibody targeting mouse VEGFR-2 with or without concurrent chemotherapy was assessed in multiple human breast cancer xenograft models, where impact on orthotopic primary tumors was evaluated. Metastasis was also assessed during adjuvant and neoadjuvant plus adjuvant therapy, after surgical resection of primary tumors, with the same combination therapies. Antiangiogenic therapy, while blunting tumor volume growth, was found to increase local invasion in multiple primary tumor models, including a patient-derived xenograft, but this effect was blocked by concurrent chemotherapy. Similarly, the combination of paclitaxel with DC101 caused a marked reduction of micro- or macrometastatic disease in contrast to DC101 monotherapy, which was associated with small increases in metastatic disease. Conventional wisdom is that targeted biologic antiangiogenic agents such as bevacizumab when used with chemotherapy increase the efficacy of the chemotherapy treatment. Our results suggest the reverse may be true as well-chemotherapy may improve the impact of antiangiogenic drug treatment and, as a result, overall efficacy. Clin Cancer Res; 21(24); 5488-98. ©2015 AACR. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for primary adenocarcinomas of the urinary bladder: a single-site experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bin; Zhou, Jin; Cai, Hongzhou; Xu, Ting; Xu, Zicheng; Zou, Qing; Gu, Min

2015-01-28

Adenocarcinoma of the urinary bladder is a rare malignancy. Radical surgery is suggested as the best available treatment for early-stage disease, but there is currently no consensus on standard chemotherapy regimen for advanced stage. We assessed the feasibility and effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) plus S-1 for patients with locally advanced primary adenocarcinomas of the urinary bladder. Six patients with locally advanced urachal or non-urachal (n = 3, each) primary adenocarcinoma of the bladder were treated from October 2010 to October 2013 at a single center. All the patients were treated with 3 cycles (21d, each) of GC plus S-1 (gemcitabine, 1000 mg/m2, days 1 and 8; cisplatin, 70 mg/m2, day 2; and S-1, 50 mg bid, day 1-14). After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, patients with urachal cancer were treated with en bloc radical cystectomy and umbilectomy; the remaining 3 patients were treated with cystectomy. All patients successfully completed the neoadjuvant chemotherapy without serious side effects. Two patients were assessed as complete response, 2 as partial response, 1 as stable disease and 1 as progressive disease. Despite the limitations of a small study population, the GC plus S-1 regimen for locally advanced primary adenocarcinoma of the urinary bladder was effective, and facilitated the success of surgery to a certain extent. Short follow-up time was also a limitation of our study. More studies are needed to evaluate the results.

Long-term follow-up of salvage radiotherapy in Hodgkin's lymphoma after chemotherapy failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, Belinda; Wirth, Andrew; Milner, Alvin; Di Iulio, Juliana; MacManus, Michael; Ryan, Gail M.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term results of salvage radiotherapy (SRT) for Hodgkin's lymphoma after chemotherapy failure. Methods and Materials: We reviewed 81 patients undergoing SRT for persistent or recurrent Hodgkin's lymphoma after chemotherapy; 19 also received conventional-dose salvage chemotherapy. Results: At SRT, the median patient age was 31 years. Of the 81 patients, 81% had Stage I-II, 25.9% had B symptoms, 14.8% had bulky disease, and 7.4% had extranodal disease. A less than a complete response (CR) to the last chemotherapy regimen occurred in 47%. SRT was generally limited to one side of the diaphragm, and the median dose was 36 Gy. After SRT, 75% of patients achieved a CR, with 82% retaining durable in-field control. In-field failure was associated with less than a CR to the last chemotherapy regimen (p = 0.0287). Most failures were at distant sites, with 60% in previously involved sites. The 10-year freedom from treatment failure and overall survival rates were 32.8% and 45.7%, respectively. The adverse prognostic factors for freedom from treatment failure were age >50 years (p 50 years (p < 0.001), B symptoms (p = 0.002), and less than a CR to the last chemotherapy regimen (p = 0.002). Favorable cohorts had a 10-year freedom from treatment failure rate of 51% and overall survival rate of 92%. Conclusions: Salvage radiotherapy is effective for selected patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma after chemotherapy failure and should be considered for incorporation into salvage programs

A Survey of Chinese Medicinal Herbal Treatment for Chemotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gesa Meyer-Hamme

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Oral mucositis is one of the common side effects of chemotherapy treatment with potentially severe implications. Despite several treatment approaches by conventional and complementary western medicine, the therapeutic outcome is often not satisfactory. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM offers empirical herbal formulas for the treatment of oral ulceration which are used in adaptation to chemotherapy-induced mucositis. While standard concepts for TCM treatment do not exist and acceptance by conventional oncologists is still low, we conducted a review to examine the evidence of Chinese herbal treatment in oral mucositis. Eighteen relevant studies on 4 single herbs, 2 combinations of 2 herbs, and 11 multiherbal prescriptions involving 3 or more compounds were included. Corresponding molecular mechanisms were investigated. The knowledge about detailed herbal mechanisms, especially in multi-herbal prescriptions is still limited. The quality of clinical trials needs further improvement. Meta-analysis on the existent database is not possible but molecular findings on Chinese medicinal herbs indicate that further research is still promising for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.

Intensive chemotherapy as salvage treatment for solid tumors: focus on germ cell cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selle, F.; Gligorov, J.; Richard, S.; Khalil, A.; Alexandre, I.; Avenin, D.; Provent, S.; Soares, D.G.; Lotz, J.P.

2014-01-01

Germ cell tumors present contrasting biological and molecular features compared to many solid tumors, which may partially explain their unusual sensitivity to chemotherapy. Reduced DNA repair capacity and enhanced induction of apoptosis appear to be key factors in the sensitivity of germ cell tumors to cisplatin. Despite substantial cure rates, some patients relapse and subsequently die of their disease. Intensive doses of chemotherapy are used to counter mechanisms of drug resistance. So far, high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell support for solid tumors is used only in the setting of testicular germ cell tumors. In that indication, high-dose chemotherapy is given as the first or late salvage treatment for patients with either relapsed or progressive tumors after initial conventional salvage chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy is usually given as two or three sequential cycles using carboplatin and etoposide with or without ifosfamide. The administration of intensive therapy carries significant side effects and can only be efficiently and safely conducted in specialized referral centers to assure optimum patient care outcomes. In breast and ovarian cancer, most studies have demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), but overall survival remained unchanged. Therefore, most of these approaches have been dropped. In germ cell tumors, clinical trials are currently investigating novel therapeutic combinations and active treatments. In particular, the integration of targeted therapies constitutes an important area of research for patients with a poor prognosis

Intensive chemotherapy as salvage treatment for solid tumors: focus on germ cell cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selle, F.; Gligorov, J. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Pierre & Marie Curie University (UPMC Paris VI), Paris (France); Richard, S.; Khalil, A. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Alexandre, I. [Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Centre of Bligny, Briis-sous-Forges (France); Avenin, D.; Provent, S.; Soares, D.G. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Lotz, J.P. [Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy Department, Hospital Tenon, Public Assistance Hospitals of Paris, Alliance for Cancer Research (APREC), Paris (France); Pierre & Marie Curie University (UPMC Paris VI), Paris (France)

2014-11-04

Germ cell tumors present contrasting biological and molecular features compared to many solid tumors, which may partially explain their unusual sensitivity to chemotherapy. Reduced DNA repair capacity and enhanced induction of apoptosis appear to be key factors in the sensitivity of germ cell tumors to cisplatin. Despite substantial cure rates, some patients relapse and subsequently die of their disease. Intensive doses of chemotherapy are used to counter mechanisms of drug resistance. So far, high-dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell support for solid tumors is used only in the setting of testicular germ cell tumors. In that indication, high-dose chemotherapy is given as the first or late salvage treatment for patients with either relapsed or progressive tumors after initial conventional salvage chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy is usually given as two or three sequential cycles using carboplatin and etoposide with or without ifosfamide. The administration of intensive therapy carries significant side effects and can only be efficiently and safely conducted in specialized referral centers to assure optimum patient care outcomes. In breast and ovarian cancer, most studies have demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), but overall survival remained unchanged. Therefore, most of these approaches have been dropped. In germ cell tumors, clinical trials are currently investigating novel therapeutic combinations and active treatments. In particular, the integration of targeted therapies constitutes an important area of research for patients with a poor prognosis.

A model to describe potential effects of chemotherapy on critical radiobiological treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Pérez, D.; Desco, M. M.; Antoranz, J. C.

2016-08-01

Although chemo- and radiotherapy can annihilate tumors on their own. they are also used in coadjuvancy: improving local effects of radiotherapy using chemotherapy as a radiosensit.izer. The effects of radiotherapy are well described by current radiobiological models. The goal of this work is to describe a discrete radiotherapy model, that has been previously used describe high radiation dose response as well as unusual radio-responses of some types of tumors (e.g. prostate cancer), to obtain a model of chemo+radiotherapy that can describe how the outcome of their combination is a more efficient removal of the tumor. Our hypothesis is that, although both treatments haven different mechanisms, both affect similar key points of cell metabolism and regulation, that lead to cellular death. Hence, we will consider a discrete model where chemotherapy may affect a fraction of the same targets destroyed by radiotherapy. Although radiotherapy reaches all cells equally, chemotherapy diffuses through a tumor attaining lower concentration in its center and higher in its surface. With our simulations we study the enhanced effect of combined therapy treatment and how it depends on the tissue critical parameters (the parameters of the lion-extensive radiobiological model), the number of “targets” aimed at by chemotherapy, and the concentration and diffusion rate of the drug inside the tumor. The results show that an equivalent, cliemo-radio-dose can be computed that allows the prediction of the lower radiation dose that causes the same effect than a radio-only treatment.

Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit.

Science.gov (United States)

Coondoo, Arijit; Phiske, Meghana; Verma, Shyam; Lahiri, Koushik

2014-10-01

The introduction of topical steroids (TS) of varying potency have rendered the therapy of inflammatory cutaneous disorders more effective and less time-consuming. However the usefulness of these has become a double edged sword with constantly rising instances of abuse and misuse leading to serious local, systemic and psychological side effects. These side effects occur more with TS of higher potency and on particular areas of the body like face and genitalia. The article reviews the side effects of TS with special mention about peadiatric age group, also includes the measures for preventing the side effects.

Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arijit Coondoo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The introduction of topical steroids (TS of varying potency have rendered the therapy of inflammatory cutaneous disorders more effective and less time-consuming. However the usefulness of these has become a double edged sword with constantly rising instances of abuse and misuse leading to serious local, systemic and psychological side effects. These side effects occur more with TS of higher potency and on particular areas of the body like face and genitalia.The article reviews the side effects of TS with special mention about peadiatric age group, also includes the measures for preventing the side effects.

Side Effect Perceptions and Their Impact on Treatment Decisions in Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Erika A; Pachur, Thorsten; Colditz, Graham A

2017-04-01

Side effects prompt some patients to forego otherwise-beneficial therapies. This study explored which characteristics make side effects particularly aversive. We used a psychometric approach, originating from research on risk perception, to identify the factors (or components) underlying side effect perceptions. Women ( N = 149) aged 40 to 74 years were recruited from a patient registry to complete an online experiment. Participants were presented with hypothetical scenarios in which an effective and necessary medication conferred a small risk of a single side effect (e.g., nausea, dizziness). They rated a broad range of side effects on several characteristics (e.g., embarrassing, treatable). In addition, we collected 4 measures of aversiveness for each side effect: choosing to take the medication, willingness to pay to avoid the side effect (WTP), negative affective attitude associated with the side effect, and how each side effect ranks among others in terms of undesirability. A principal components analysis (PCA) was used to identify the components underlying side effect perceptions. Then, for each aversiveness measure separately, regression analyses were used to determine which components predicted differences in aversiveness among the side effects. The PCA revealed 4 components underlying side effect perceptions: affective challenge (e.g., frightening), social challenge (e.g., disfiguring), physical challenge (e.g., painful), and familiarity (e.g., common). Side effects perceived as affectively and physically challenging elicited the highest levels of aversiveness across all 4 measures. Understanding what side effect characteristics are most aversive may inform interventions to improve medical decisions and facilitate the translation of novel biomedical therapies into clinical practice.

Comparison of side effects in myelography with iopamidol and metrizamide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong; Kang, Heung Sik; Chang, Kee Hyun; Han, Seoul Heui; Kwon, Oh Sung; Myung, Ho Gin

1986-01-01

The study was conducted to compare the side effects in myelography of the two non-ionic water-soluble contrast medias, lopamidol (Niopam) and Metrizamide (Amipaque). A total of 111 patients were examined, 64 with lopamidol and 47 with Metrizamide. Side effects consisted of headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, urinary difficulty, muscular pain, seizure, neurobehavioral disturbance, neurological sign change, vital sign change and etc. The common side effects were headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness in order of frequency. Most of the side effects were subsided within 24 hours following myelography. lopamidol myelography caused fewer and milder side effects than Metrizamide study. The side effects were more commonly observed in cervical, thoracic or total myelography than in lumbar myelography with either lopamidol or Metrizamide. There was no significant correlation between incidence of the side effects and premedication with phenobarbital or valium injection before myelography and CSF sampling during the procedure.

Comparison of side effects in myelography with iopamidol and metrizamide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Yong; Kang, Heung Sik; Chang, Kee Hyun; Han, Seoul Heui; Kwon, Oh Sung; Myung, Ho Gin [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1986-12-15

The study was conducted to compare the side effects in myelography of the two non-ionic water-soluble contrast medias, lopamidol (Niopam) and Metrizamide (Amipaque). A total of 111 patients were examined, 64 with lopamidol and 47 with Metrizamide. Side effects consisted of headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, urinary difficulty, muscular pain, seizure, neurobehavioral disturbance, neurological sign change, vital sign change and etc. The common side effects were headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness in order of frequency. Most of the side effects were subsided within 24 hours following myelography. lopamidol myelography caused fewer and milder side effects than Metrizamide study. The side effects were more commonly observed in cervical, thoracic or total myelography than in lumbar myelography with either lopamidol or Metrizamide. There was no significant correlation between incidence of the side effects and premedication with phenobarbital or valium injection before myelography and CSF sampling during the procedure.

The combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant tumours: indications and dangers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartelink, H.; Somers, R.

1980-01-01

The combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy has improved the results of treatment of certain malignant tumours. However, during both experimental investigations and clinical treatment, a number of severe side effects have been observed, during as well as some time after the administration, especially with use of actinomycin and adriamycin. Also the possibility exists that more secondary tumours are induced as the consequence of combination therapy. (Auth.)

Experimental study on combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Juichi

1986-01-01

Recently, by applying multidrug therapy using cisplatin and bleomycin to the treatment of head and neck cancer, the response rate of chemotherapy has been markedly increased and thus, chemotherapy has taken an important part in the treatment of head and neck cancer. In this paper a clinical application of chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy was evaluated from the point of the cure rate and also preservation of the structures and the functions of the head and neck region. In order to test the advantage or usefulness of initial chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (= pre-radiation chemotherapy), the experimental study on combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy was designed by using ICR mice and Ehrlich solid carcinoma. Cisplatin and peplomycin, a newly developed derivative of bleomycin, were used as chemotherapeutic agents. Tumor growth delay rate was chosen as a parameter to indicate the effectiveness. Results obtained are as follows. 1. Combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and peplomycin was more effective than each single agent on Ehrlich solid carcinoma. Synergistic effect was obtained by higher dose. So, the combination of cisplatin and peplomycin was proved to be eligible for pre-radiation chemotherapy. 2. Synergistic effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy was observed when chemotherapy was used prior to radiotherapy on Ehrlich solid carcinoma. 3. Even their additional effect was not recognized when radiotherapy preceded to chemotherapy on Ehrlich solid carcinoma. 4. No severe toxic effect was seen in the mice. The experimental results made it clear that pre-radiation chemotherapy is beneficial to the treatment of head and neck cancer. (author)

Central nervous system side effects associated with zolpidem treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Toner, L C; Tsambiras, B M; Catalano, G; Catalano, M C; Cooper, D S

2000-01-01

Zolpidem is one of the newer medications developed for the treatment of insomnia. It is an imidazopyridine agent that is an alternative to the typical sedative-hypnotic agents. Zolpidem use is gaining favor because of its efficacy and its side effect profile, which is milder and less problematic than that of the benzodiazepines and barbiturates used to treat insomnia. Still, side effects are not uncommon with zolpidem use. We report a series of cases in which the patients developed delirium, nightmares and hallucinations during treatment with zolpidem. We will review its pharmacology, discuss previous reports of central nervous system side effects, examine the impact of drug interactions with concurrent use of antidepressants, examine gender differences in susceptibility to side effects, and explore the significance of protein binding in producing side effects.

Systematic identification of proteins that elicit drug side effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuhn, Michael; Al Banchaabouchi, Mumna; Campillos, Monica

2013-01-01

Side effect similarities of drugs have recently been employed to predict new drug targets, and networks of side effects and targets have been used to better understand the mechanism of action of drugs. Here, we report a large-scale analysis to systematically predict and characterize proteins...... that cause drug side effects. We integrated phenotypic data obtained during clinical trials with known drug-target relations to identify overrepresented protein-side effect combinations. Using independent data, we confirm that most of these overrepresentations point to proteins which, when perturbed, cause......) is responsible for hyperesthesia in mice, which, in turn, can be prevented by a drug that selectively inhibits HTR7. Taken together, we show that a large fraction of complex drug side effects are mediated by individual proteins and create a reference for such relations....

Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Nerve Changes

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... Nerve Changes Try these tips from others: “Prevent falls.” l Move rugs out of your path so you won’t trip. l Put up rails on the walls and in the bathroom. l Put bathmats in the shower and bathtub. l Wear sturdy shoes. l Use a cane. “Take extra care in the kitchen and shower.” ...

Side effects of retinoid therapy on the quality of vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bergler-Czop Beata

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Retinoids are compounds chemically related to vitamin A, which are frequently used in dermatological practice (1. They are characterized by numerous mechanisms of action leading to normalization of keratinocyte proliferation and maturation. They have anti-seborrhoeic, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects (1, 2. A number of side effects to retinoid treatment have been recorded; one group of such side effects relates to eyes and vision. Dry eye syndrome and blepharoconjunctivitis are the most common side effects, appearing in 20-50 % of patients treated with retinoids. They often contribute to the occurrence of other side-effects such as eye discomfort and contact lens intolerance. Due to the widespread use in clinical practice, the adverse effects, including ocular side effects, should be studied. To confirm the variety of adverse effects of retinoids, several case reports of rare side-effects are presented.

Effect of adjuvant chemotherapy in postmenopausal patients with invasive ductal versus lobular breast cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Truin, W.; Voogd, A.C.; Vreugdenhil, G.; van der Heiden-van der Loo, M.; Siesling, Sabine; Roumen, R.M.

2012-01-01

Background On the basis of the lack of response of invasive lobular breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we questioned the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy in relation to histology. Patients and methods Women with primary nonmetastatic invasive ductal or (mixed type) lobular breast

NTP Monograph: Developmental Effects and Pregnancy Outcomes Associated With Cancer Chemotherapy Use During Pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-01

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) conducted an evaluation of the developmental effects and pregnancy outcomes associated with cancer chemotherapy use during pregnancy in humans. The final NTP monograph was completed in May 2013 (available at http:// ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/36495). The incidence of cancer during pregnancy has been reported to occur from 17 to 100 per 100,000 pregnant women. Chemotherapy is a common treatment for cancer; however, most chemotherapy agents are classified as known or suspected human teratogens. Cancer chemotherapy use during pregnancy was selected for evaluation by the NTP because of the: (1) paucity of comprehensive reviews on the pregnancy outcomes following cancer chemotherapy use during pregnancy in humans, including the integration of the developmental animal toxicology literature with the observational studies in humans, and (2) growing public interest in the developmental effects of chemotherapy on offspring exposed to cancer chemotherapy during gestation due to the expected incidence of cancer diagnosed during pregnancy as women delay pregnancy to later ages. Of the approximately 110 cancer chemotherapeutic agents currently in use, the NTP monograph includes data on 56 agents used during 1,261 pregnancies for which pregnancy outcomes were documented. Overall, the NTP evaluation found that treatment with chemotherapy for cancer appeared to be associated with: (1) a higher rate of major malformations following exposure during the first trimester compared to exposure in the second and/or third trimester; (2) an increase the rate of stillbirth following exposure in the second and/ or third trimester; abnormally low levels of amniotic fluid (primarily attributable to Trastuzumab); and (3), also data are insufficient, impaired fetal growth and myelosuppression. Treatment with chemotherapy for cancer during pregnancy did not appear to increase spontaneous preterm birth, or impair

Side Effects: Edema (Swelling)

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Edema is a condition in which fluid builds up in your body’s tissues. The swelling may be caused by chemotherapy, cancer, and conditions not related to cancer. Learn about signs of edema, including swelling in your feet, ankles, and legs.

Framing effects on expectations, decisions, and side effects experienced: the case of influenza immunization.

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O'Connor, A M; Pennie, R A; Dales, R E

1996-11-01

To examine the effects of using positive or negative frames to describe influenza vaccine benefits and side effects on patients' expectations, decisions, decisional conflict, and reported side effects. 292 previously unimmunized patients with chronic respiratory or cardiac disease were randomly assigned to receive benefit/risk information that was framed: (1) positively as the percentage who remain free of influenza and have no vaccine side effects, or (2) negatively as the percentage who acquire influenza and have vaccine side effects. Questionnaires elicited expectations, decisions, and decisional conflict. Vaccines were telephoned 3 days later for a self-report of local and systemic side effects and work absenteeism. Both groups had similar immunization rates and decisional conflict scores. The positive frame group had lower and more realistic expectations of vaccine side effects, fewer systemic side effects, and less work absenteeism (p framing did not influence patients' decisions, possibly due to the patients' awareness of their higher risk of influenza complications and greater desire to follow recommendations. The common practice of using negative frames when describing probabilities of side effects may need to be reexamined, considering its deleterious influence on self-reported side effects and work absenteeism.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of scalp cooling in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

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Komen, Manon M C; Smorenburg, Carolien H; van den Hurk, Corina J G; Nortier, Johan W R

2013-01-01

The success of scalp cooling in preventing or reducing chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is highly variable between patients and chemotherapy regimens. The outcome of hair preservation is often unpredictable and depends on various factors. Methods. We performed a structured search of literature published from 1970 to February 2012 for articles that reported on factors influencing the effectiveness of scalp cooling to prevent CIA in patients with cancer. Results. The literature search identified 192 reports, of which 32 studies were considered relevant. Randomized studies on scalp cooling are scarce and there is little information on the determinants of the result. The effectiveness of scalp cooling for hair preservation depends on dose and type of chemotherapy, with less favorable results at higher doses. Temperature seems to be an important determinant. Various studies suggest that a subcutaneous scalp temperature less than 22 °C is required for hair preservation. Conclusions. The effectiveness of scalp cooling for hair preservation varies by chemotherapy type and dose, and probably by the degree and duration of cooling.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy by bronchial arterial infusion in patients with unresectable stage III squamous cell lung cancer.

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Zhu, Jun; Zhang, Hai-Ping; Jiang, Sen; Ni, Jian

2017-08-01

We investigated the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy administered via bronchial arterial infusion (BAI) on unresectable stage III lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This was a single-arm retrospective study of chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) administered via BAI to patients with unresectable lung SCC. Data regarding the post-treatment response rate, downstage rate, and surgery rate, as well as progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), quality of life, and post-BAI side effects were collected. A total of 36 patients were enrolled in this study between August 2010 and May 2014. The response rate was 72.2%, and the downstage rate was 22.2%. Among the patients who were downstaged, 16 (44.4%) patients were because of their T stage, and 5 (13.9%) patients were downstaged due to to their N stage. The surgery rate was 52.8%, the 1-year survival rate was 75.4%, and the 2-year survival rate was 52.1%. The median PFS was 14.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.6-19.4], and the median OS was 25.0 months (95% CI: 19.1-30.9). The quality of life was significantly improved, and the chemotherapy was well tolerated. Compared with intravenous neoadjuvant chemotherapy, BAI chemotherapy significantly improved the surgery rate, prolonged PFS and OS, and improved the quality of life in patients with unresectable stage III lung SCC.

Understanding the antiangiogenic effect of metronomic chemotherapy through a simple mathematical model

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Rodrigues, Diego S.; Mancera, Paulo F. A.; Pinho, Suani T. R.

2016-12-01

Despite the current and increasingly successful fight against cancer, there are some important questions concerning the efficiency of its treatment - in particular, the design of oncology chemotherapy protocols. Seeking efficiency, schedules based on more frequent, low-doses of drugs, known as metronomic chemotherapy, have been proposed as an alternative to the classical standard protocol of chemotherapy administration. The in silico approach may be very useful for providing a comparative analysis of these two kinds of protocols. In so doing, we found that metronomic schedules are more effective in eliminating tumour cells mainly due to their chemotherapeutic action on endothelial cells and that more frequent, low drug doses also entail outcomes in which the survival time of patient is increased.

Physical exercise during adjuvant chemotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Waart, H.

2017-01-01

This thesis evaluates the effect of physical exercise during chemotherapy. In chapter two the study design, rationale and methods of the Physical exercise during Adjuvant Chemotherapy Study (PACES) are described. Chapter three presents the effects of the randomized controlled trial evaluating a

Ciprofloxacin reduces occurrence of fever in children with acute leukemia who develop neutropenia during chemotherapy.

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Laoprasopwattana, Kamolwish; Khwanna, Thida; Suwankeeree, Pussayaban; Sujjanunt, Tipwan; Tunyapanit, Wanutsanun; Chelae, Sureerat

2013-03-01

Fluoroquinolones reduce occurrence of fever in adult cancer patients who develop neutropenia, but there has been no randomized controlled trial in children, and there are only a few studies considering resistance in intestinal floral after ciprofloxacin has been used. Children younger than 18 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma scheduled to undergo chemotherapy were randomized to receive oral ciprofloxacin 20mg/kg/day or placebo from the beginning of their chemotherapy. Rectal swab cultures were taken before and at 1 and/or 2 weeks after the intervention. Of the total of 95 patients, 45 and 50 patients received ciprofloxacin and placebo, respectively. Of the 71 patients who developed neutropenia, the proportion of children who developed fever was significantly lower in the ciprofloxacin group than in the placebo group (17/34 [50.0%] versus 27/37 [73.0%]; absolute difference in risk, -23.0%; 95% confidence interval: -45.0% to -0.9%; P = 0.046). Ciprofloxacin significantly reduced the occurrence of febrile episodes in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the induction phase of chemotherapy, but not in patients with lymphoma or in the consolidation phase of chemotherapy. Adverse effects were not different between the groups. After intervention, the percentages of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae susceptible to ciprofloxacin were significantly lower in the ciprofloxacin group. Ciprofloxacin can prevent fever in neutropenic patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the induction phase of chemotherapy with good tolerance and no serious side effects. Due to the selective pressure of intestinal flora resistance to ciprofloxacin, the long-term effectiveness needs further investigation.

Chemotherapy in combined and multimodality treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1989-01-01

It is shown that chemotherapy of tumors of various localizations developes intensively in the last few years. It is connected with discovery and adoption of new active antitumoral preparations, such as alkylating preparations, antimetabolites, antitumoral antibiotics, hormonal preparations. To create the rational effective conditions of chemotherapy a study was made on kinetics of tumor gowth, molecular mechanisms of interaction of cytostatics and cells of malignant tumor. Main factors of chemotherapy combination with radiotherapy when treating numerous malignant tumors were considered. Effectiveness of using chemotherapy in combination with other methods of treatment was shown

Abiraterone acetate for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sternberg, Cora N; Castellano, Daniel; Daugaard, Gedske

2014-01-01

, development of sustained side-effects, or abiraterone acetate becoming available in the respective country. The primary outcome was the number of adverse events arising during study treatment and within 30 days of discontinuation. Efficacy measures (time to prostate-specific antigen [PSA] progression and time......BACKGROUND: In the final analysis of the phase 3 COU-AA-301 study, abiraterone acetate plus prednisone significantly prolonged overall survival compared with prednisone alone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after chemotherapy. Here, we present the final...... analysis of an early-access protocol trial that was initiated after completion of COU-AA-301 to enable worldwide preapproval access to abiraterone acetate in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after chemotherapy. METHODS: We did a multicentre, open-label, early...

A model to describe potential effects of chemotherapy on critical radiobiological treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez-Pérez, D.; Desco, M.M.; Antoranz, J.C.

2016-01-01

Although chemo- and radiotherapy can annihilate tumors on their own. they are also used in coadjuvancy: improving local effects of radiotherapy using chemotherapy as a radiosensit.izer. The effects of radiotherapy are well described by current radiobiological models. The goal of this work is to describe a discrete radiotherapy model, that has been previously used describe high radiation dose response as well as unusual radio-responses of some types of tumors (e.g. prostate cancer), to obtain a model of chemo+radiotherapy that can describe how the outcome of their combination is a more efficient removal of the tumor. Our hypothesis is that, although both treatments haven different mechanisms, both affect similar key points of cell metabolism and regulation, that lead to cellular death. Hence, we will consider a discrete model where chemotherapy may affect a fraction of the same targets destroyed by radiotherapy. Although radiotherapy reaches all cells equally, chemotherapy diffuses through a tumor attaining lower concentration in its center and higher in its surface. With our simulations we study the enhanced effect of combined therapy treatment and how it depends on the tissue critical parameters (the parameters of the lion-extensive radiobiological model), the number of “targets” aimed at by chemotherapy, and the concentration and diffusion rate of the drug inside the tumor. The results show that an equivalent, cliemo-radio-dose can be computed that allows the prediction of the lower radiation dose that causes the same effect than a radio-only treatment. (paper)

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients treated with taxanes and platinum derivatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ewertz, Marianne; Qvortrup, Camilla; Eckhoff, Lise

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy with taxanes and platinum compounds has resulted in substantial survival benefits both in adjuvant and metastatic settings. However, as a side effect, such chemotherapy may cause peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) which may result in discontinuation of treatment...... or shortly after the infusion triggered by exposure to cold. Risks factors for CIPN include preexisting neuropathy, either from treatment with other neurotoxic agents, or from comorbid conditions. The incidence of CIPN is related to dose per cycle, cumulative dose, and duration of infusion. While cisplatin......-induced neuropathy is irreversible, CIPN induced by taxanes may persist for several years in about 30% of patients. Evidence from the literature is suggestive that CIPN is likely to be negatively associated with QoL. No agents have been identified to be recommended for the prevention of CIPN. For treatment of CIPN...

Use of reflexology foot massage to reduce anxiety in hospitalized cancer patients in chemotherapy treatment: methodology and outcomes.

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Quattrin, R; Zanini, A; Buchini, S; Turello, D; Annunziata, M A; Vidotti, C; Colombatti, A; Brusaferro, S

2006-03-01

To examine the effectiveness of reflexology foot massage in hospitalized cancer patients undergoing second or third chemotherapy cycles. Since the late-1970s, studies have been conducted to assess the efficacy of behavioural and relaxation approaches in controlling nausea/vomiting, anxiety and other side-effects associated with chemotherapy. The study consisted of 30 patients being admitted to the oncology unit at a Scientific Research Hospital in Italy. Only 15 of the 30 participants received therapeutic massage. The subjects' self-reports of anxiety (measured by the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) were recorded before, after and 24 hours after the intervention. There was an average decrease of 7.9 points on the state-anxiety scale in the treatment group and of 0.8 points in the control group (P Reflexology foot massage can be considered a support treatment used in combination with traditional medical treatments and executed by an expert, qualified person to help cancer patients receiving chemotherapy feel better and also cope better with their disease.

Effects of back massage on chemotherapy-related fatigue and anxiety: supportive care and therapeutic touch in cancer nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Karagozoglu, Serife; Kahve, Emine

2013-11-01

This quasi-experimental and cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the efficacy of back massage, a nursing intervention, on the process of acute fatigue developing due to chemotherapy and on the anxiety level emerging in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy during this process. The study was conducted on 40 patients. To collect the data, the Personal Information Form, the State Anxiety part of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Brief Fatigue Inventory were used. In our study, it was determined that mean anxiety scores decreased in the intervention group patients after chemotherapy. The level of fatigue in the intervention group decreased statistically significantly on the next day after chemotherapy (p=.020; effect size=0.84). At the same time, the mean anxiety scores of the patients in the intervention group decreased right after the massage provided during chemotherapy (p=.109; effect size=0.37) and after chemotherapy. In line with our study findings, it can be said that back massage given during chemotherapy affects anxiety and fatigue suffered during the chemotherapy process and that it significantly reduces state anxiety and acute fatigue. Therefore, the effective use of back massage in the process of chemotherapy by oncology nurses who have a key role in cancer treatment and care can make it more modulated. © 2013.

A combined radiation and platinum chemotherapy for esophageal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takamura, Akio; Saito, Hiroya; Sakurai, Yasuo; Horio, Keiji; Mizoe, Junetsu.

1993-01-01

The prognosis of the patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma treated by definitive radiotherapy is still dismal with a reported 5-year survival rate of 5-10% in most series. Since 1986, combined radiotherapy with chemotherapy using platinum analogue was initiated at Asahikawa and Obihiro Kosei Hospitals in order to improve local-regional control and the survival of the patients. From 1980 to 1992, 81 patients with unresectable esophageal carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy. Since April 1986, 37 out of the 81 patients received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy with platinum. Platinum was used during the course of radiotherapy. The method of administration of platinum was as follows; Cisplatin intravenously (50 mg, weekly, total 200 mg) in 9 patients, Carboplatin intravenously (100-150 mg, weekly, total 400-900 mg) in 11 patients and Cisplatin intraarterially (100 mg, at a 3-4 week interval, total 100-300 mg) in 17 patients. These 37 patients (Group A) were compared to 44 patients treated by radiotherapy alone (Group B) with respect to initial response and survival rate. Response was defined according to the guidelines recommended by Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases. Response rates were 59.1% (19 CR and 7 PR) in Group B and 70.3% (7 CR and 19 PR) in Group A. Primary relapse-free rates were 36.4% in Group B and 37.8% in Group A. The cumulative survival at 3 years were 11.7% in Group B and 10.6% in Group A. Enhancement of side effects by chemotherapy was minimal and acceptable. Improvement of local-regional control and survival was not obvious by adding a concomitant platinum-chemotherapy. A definite conclusion, however, could not be drawn because of the retrospective, non-controlled nature of this study. Introduction of more intensive, multiple agents chemotherapy seems necessary if one aims at improving the results. (author)

[Efficacy of granisetron for preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia treated with a combination of anthracycline and cytarabine].

Science.gov (United States)

Goto, Takashi; Tanimoto, Kazuki; Ishibashi, Makoto; Okamura, Seiichi

2012-08-01

In Japan, the combination of anthracycline and cytarabine(Ara-C)is a standard therapy for acute myelogenous leukemia(AML). Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting(CINV)are frequently reported as side effects related to the administration of these regimens. In our hospital, patients received prophylactic granisetron at a dose of 3 mg daily during chemotherapy. However, granisetron is known to induce constipation as a side effect. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a single dose of granisetron administered throughout the entire period of chemotherapy in AML patients receiving anthracycline and Ara-C combination therapy, and also examined the incidence of constipation during chemotherapy. From July 2008 to December 2010, all patients with AML treated using anthracycline and Ara-C combination therapy were registered in the study. This retrospective study investigated the patients' background and the incidence of CINV and constipation from the patients' records. The efficacy of granisetron was measured on each day using the complete regression(no vomiting and no rescue medication; CR)rate. A total of 45 patients were included in the study(27 male; 18 female), and received a total 68 courses(56 of induction therapy; 12 of consolidation therapy)of the regimens. The CR rate and the incidence of constipation on the final day of chemotherapy were 61. 8% and 63. 2%, respectively. As the duration of chemotherapy increased, the CR rate tended to decrease, whereas the incidence of constipation tended to increase. The CR rate in this study was 61. 8%, thus indicating that there is still room for improvement. The combination of dexamethasone and a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, or the changeover from granisetron to palonosetron could therefore increase the CR rate.

Side Effects: Nausea and Vomiting

Science.gov (United States)

Types of nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment include: anticipatory, acute, and delayed. Controlling these side effects will help to prevent serious problems such as malnutrition and dehydration in people with cancer.

Sequencing chemotherapy and radiotherapy in locoregional advanced breast cancer patients after mastectomy – a retrospective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piroth, Marc D; Pinkawa, Michael; Gagel, Bernd; Stanzel, Sven; Asadpour, Branka; Eble, Michael J

2008-01-01

independent impact on overall survival (p = 0.2) or disease free survival (p = 0.4). The toxicity, whether acute nor late, showed no significant differences in the three groups. The grade III/IV acute side effects were 3.6%, 0% and 3.5% for the SIM-, SW- and SEQ-group. By tendency the SIM regime had more late side effects. No clear advantage can be stated for any radio- and chemotherapy sequence in breast cancer therapy so far. This could be confirmed in our retrospective analysis in high-risk patients after mastectomy. The sequential approach is recommended according to current guidelines considering a lower toxicity

Drug side effect extraction from clinical narratives of psychiatry and psychology patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Sunghwan; Kocher, Jean-Pierre A; Chute, Christopher G; Savova, Guergana K

2011-12-01

To extract physician-asserted drug side effects from electronic medical record clinical narratives. Pattern matching rules were manually developed through examining keywords and expression patterns of side effects to discover an individual side effect and causative drug relationship. A combination of machine learning (C4.5) using side effect keyword features and pattern matching rules was used to extract sentences that contain side effect and causative drug pairs, enabling the system to discover most side effect occurrences. Our system was implemented as a module within the clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System. The system was tested in the domain of psychiatry and psychology. The rule-based system extracting side effects and causative drugs produced an F score of 0.80 (0.55 excluding allergy section). The hybrid system identifying side effect sentences had an F score of 0.75 (0.56 excluding allergy section) but covered more side effect and causative drug pairs than individual side effect extraction. The rule-based system was able to identify most side effects expressed by clear indication words. More sophisticated semantic processing is required to handle complex side effect descriptions in the narrative. We demonstrated that our system can be trained to identify sentences with complex side effect descriptions that can be submitted to a human expert for further abstraction. Our system was able to extract most physician-asserted drug side effects. It can be used in either an automated mode for side effect extraction or semi-automated mode to identify side effect sentences that can significantly simplify abstraction by a human expert.

Reported Sildenafil Side Effects in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Leigh Siehr

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Sildenafil, a phosphodiestase type 5 inhibitor, was approved in 2005 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH in adults, and is commonly used off-label for pediatric patients. Little is known, however, about sildenafil’s side effects in this population.Methods: Single institution, longitudinal survey-based study performed in an outpatient pediatric cardiology clinic. Pediatric patients on sildenafil (alone or in combination with other PH therapies completed questionnaires regarding frequency of vascular, gastrointestinal, neurologic and hematologic side effects. Results: Between January 2011 and May 2014, 66 pediatric patients with PH on sildenafil filled out 214 surveys, 32 patients (96 surveys on monotherapy, and 43 patients (118 surveys on sildenafil plus an endothelin receptor antagonist (bosentan or ambrisentan and/or a prostacyclin (epoprostenol or treprostinil. Overall, 30% of respondents identified at least one side effect. For all patients on sildenafil, incidence of side effects by system was 37% gastrointestinal, 35% vascular and 22% neurologic. For patients on sildenafil monotherapy, incidence of side effects by system was 24% gastrointestinal, 21% vascular and 18% neurologic compared to patients on combination therapy who reported an incidence of 48% gastrointestinal, 45% vascular and 25% neurologic.Conclusion: Incidence of vascular, gastrointestinal and neurologic side effect in pediatric patients on sildenafil therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension was 30%. Side effects were more common in patients on combination therapy with an endothelin receptor antagonist and/or prostacyclin than in patients on sildenafil monotherapy.

Gastrointestinal Side Effects of Antiarrhythmic Medications: A Review of Current Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Amjad, Waseem; Qureshi, Waqas; Farooq, Ali; Sohail, Umair; Khatoon, Salma; Pervaiz, Sarah; Narra, Pratyusha; Hasan, Syeda M; Ali, Farman; Ullah, Aman; Guttmann, Steven

2017-09-03

Antiarrhythmic drugs are commonly prescribed cardiac drugs. Due to their receptor mimicry with several of the gastrointestinal tract receptors, they can frequently lead to gastrointestinal side effects. These side effects are the most common reasons for discontinuation of these drugs by the patients. Knowledge of these side effects is important for clinicians that manage antiarrhythmic drugs. This review focuses on the gastrointestinal side effects of these drugs and provides a detailed up-to-date literature review of the side effects of these drugs. The review provides case reports reported in the literature as well as possible mechanisms that lead to gastrointestinal side effects.

Drug cocktail optimization in chemotherapy of cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saskia Preissner

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In general, drug metabolism has to be considered to avoid adverse effects and ineffective therapy. In particular, chemotherapeutic drug cocktails strain drug metabolizing enzymes especially the cytochrome P450 family (CYP. Furthermore, a number of important chemotherapeutic drugs such as cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, tamoxifen or procarbazine are administered as prodrugs and have to be activated by CYP. Therefore, the genetic variability of these enzymes should be taken into account to design appropriate therapeutic regimens to avoid inadequate drug administration, toxicity and inefficiency. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to find drug interactions and to avoid side effects or ineffective therapy in chemotherapy. DATA SOURCES AND METHODS: Information on drug administration in the therapy of leukemia and their drug metabolism was collected from scientific literature and various web resources. We carried out an automated textmining approach. Abstracts of PubMed were filtered for relevant articles using specific keywords. Abstracts were automatically screened for antineoplastic drugs and their synonyms in combination with a set of human CYPs in title or abstract. RESULTS: We present a comprehensive analysis of over 100 common cancer treatment regimens regarding drug-drug interactions and present alternatives avoiding CYP overload. Typical concomitant medication, e.g. antiemetics or antibiotics is a preferred subject to improvement. A webtool, which allows drug cocktail optimization was developed and is publicly available on http://bioinformatics.charite.de/chemotherapy.

Side Effects and Interactions of the Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor Febuxostat.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Andreas; Gresser, Ursula

2018-05-25

The paper addresses the safety of febuxostat and summarizes reports on side effects and interactions of febuxostat published by the cut-off date (last day of literature search) of 20 March 2018. Publications on side effects and the interactions of febuxostat were considered. Information concerning the occurrence of side effects and interactions in association with the treatment with febuxostat was collected and summarized in the review. The incidence of severe side effects was much less frequent than mild side effects (1.2⁻3.8% to 20.1⁻38.7%). The rate and range of febuxostat side effects are low at doses of up to 120 mg and only increase with a daily dose of over 120 mg. The publications reveal no age-dependent increase in side effects for febuxostat. In patients with impaired renal function, no increase in adverse events is described with a dose of up to 120 mg of febuxostat per day. Patients with impaired liver function had no elevated risk for severe side effects. A known allopurinol intolerance increases the risk of skin reactions during treatment with febuxostat by a factor of 3.6. No correlation between treatment with febuxostat and agranulocytosis has been confirmed. Possible interactions with very few medications (principally azathioprine) are known for febuxostat. Febuxostat is well tolerated and a modern and safe alternative to allopurinol therapy.

Effects of sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae-Woo; Jeon, Ju-Hyun; Yoon, Jeungwon; Jung, Tae-Young; Kwon, Ki-Rok; Cho, Chong-Kwan; Lee, Yeon-Weol; Sagar, Stephen; Wong, Raimond; Yoo, Hwa-Seung

2012-06-01

This is a case series reporting safety and degree of response to 1 dose level of sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture (SBVP) or melittin as a symptom-control therapy for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). All treatments were conducted at the East West Cancer Center (EWCC), Dunsan Oriental Hospital, Daejeon University, Republic of Korea, an institution that uses complementary therapies for cancer patients. Five consecutive patients with CIPN were referred to the EWCC from March 20, 2010, to April 10, 2010. Patients with World Health Organization Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (WHO CIPN) grade 2 or more were treated with SBVP for 3 treatment sessions over a 1-week period. Measures of efficacy and safety. Validated Visual Analog System (VAS) pain scale, WHO CIPN grade, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) were compared before and after the 1-week course of treatment. To ensure the safety of SBVP, pretreatment skin response tests were given to patients to avoid any potential anaphylactic adverse effects. All patients were closely examined for any allergenic responses following each treatment session. One patient discontinued treatment after the first session, and 4 patients completed all treatment sessions. Using each patient as their own comparator, marked improvements of VAS, WHO CIPN grade, and physical section scores of FACT-G were seen in 3 patients. Most important, there were no related adverse side effects found. This safety results of the SBVP therapy merits further investigations in a larger size trial for it to develop into a potential intervention for managing CIPN symptoms. This study will be extended to a dose-response evaluation to further establish safety and response, prior to a randomized trial.

Side Effects and Their Management

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... tumors. Donate Now Subscribe for e-updates Please leave this field empty ... tumors and their treatments bring an array of possible side effects in to a patient’s life. Fatigue, cognitive changes, and mood changes are ...

Effects of multidose combination chemotherapy on the humoral immune system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zandvoort, A; Lodewijk, ME; Klok, PA; Timens, W

Patients receiving multidose combination chemotherapy are at risk for severe, life-threatening infections, caused by among others encapsulated bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae. The splenic marginal zone is essential in the initiation of immune responses to S. pneumoniae. We analyzed effects of

Low-level laser treatment accelerated hair regrowth in a rat model of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA).

Science.gov (United States)

Wikramanayake, Tongyu Cao; Villasante, Alexandra C; Mauro, Lucia M; Nouri, Keyvan; Schachner, Lawrence A; Perez, Carmen I; Jimenez, Joaquin J

2013-05-01

Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is one of the most distressing side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy for which there is no effective interventional approach. A low-level laser (LLL) device, the HairMax LaserComb®, has been cleared by the FDA to treat androgenetic alopecia. Its effects may be extended to other settings; we have demonstrated that LaserComb treatment induced hair regrowth in a mouse model for alopecia areata. In the current study, we tested whether LLL treatment could promote hair regrowth in a rat model for CIA. Chemotherapy agents cyclophosphamide, etoposide, or a combination of cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin were administered in young rats to induce alopecia, with or without LLL treatment. As expected, 7-10 days later, all the rats developed full body alopecia. However, rats receiving laser treatment regrew hair 5 days earlier than rats receiving chemotherapy alone or sham laser treatment (with the laser turned off). The accelerated hair regrowth in laser-treated rats was confirmed by histology. In addition, LLL treatment did not provide local protection to subcutaneously injected Shay chloroleukemic cells. Taken together, our results demonstrated that LLL treatment significantly accelerated hair regrowth after CIA without compromising the efficacy of chemotherapy in our rat model. Our results suggest that LLL should be explored for the treatment of CIA in clinical trials because LLL devices for home use (such as the HairMax LaserComb®) provide a user-friendly and noninvasive approach that could be translated to increased patient compliance and improved efficacy.

The effect of weight-based chemotherapy dosing in a cohort of gynecologic oncology patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Jean; Stephan, Jean-Marie; Freesmeier, Michele; Bender, David; Button, Anna; Goodheart, Michael J

2015-07-01

Many clinicians limit chemotherapy doses based on a maximum body surface area (BSA) of 2m(2). We sought to determine how chemotherapy-related toxicities compared between groups of patients that varied with respect to BSA. We hypothesized that obese patients receiving weight-based (WB) dosing would not have significantly higher chemotherapy-related toxicities than control groups. We performed a retrospective review of patients with BSA≥2m(2) who received WB chemotherapy for a gynecologic cancer between January and August 2013. Subjects were matched with two controls: patients with BSAGynecologic cancer patients with BSA≥2m(2) treated with WB chemotherapy had no increase in hematologic or non-hematologic toxicities when compared to controls. Consideration should be given to using WB dosing in obese patients with gynecologic malignancies. Further investigation is required to determine the effect of WB dosing on progression-free and overall survival in obese gynecologic cancer patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of acupuncture in the management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Donald, Graeme K; Tobin, Irene; Stringer, Jacqui

2011-09-01

To clinically evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture when used in the management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (PN). During cancer treatment, certain chemotherapies can cause varying degrees of PN. Patients' quality of life can be seriously impaired through loss of sensation, pain or mobility problems. Conventional medications routinely used to manage neuropathic symptoms have poor side-effect profiles and there is little or no evidence justifying their use to treat chemotherapy-related neurotoxicities. There are studies suggesting that acupuncture may be an effective therapy in treating PN across a number of different aetiologies. Design A retrospective service evaluation. Patients (n=18) were referred for acupuncture by the medical staff and/ornurse specialists or they self-referred for treatment. A course of six weekly acupuncture sessions was offered to them, and their details were recorded on an evaluation form prior to session one. Points were selected by acupuncturists, based on patient presentation, and needles remained in situ for 30-45 min. Treatments took place in outpatient clinics, chemotherapy day case ward or a drop-in clinic based in a physiotherapy gym. The evaluation form was completed at the end of session 6 by a therapist who had not been involved in patient care. 82% (n=14) of patients reported an improvement in symptoms following their course of acupuncture; one patient with advanced disease died during the 6 weeks. Some patients derived additional benefits from the treatment including a reduction in analgesic use and improved sleeping patterns. The most common acupoints used were SP6 (n=18), ST36 (n=18) and LV3 (n=14). Although these results are encouraging, they are uncontrolled. They suggest that acupuncture could be an option for these patients and controlled trials using validated patient-reported outcome measures are justified.

Treatment strategies for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: potential role of exercise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Y. Wonders

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN is a common, dose-limiting effect of cancer therapy that often has negative implications on a patient’s quality of life. The pain associated with CIPN has long been recognized as one of the most difficult types of pain to treat. Historically, much effort has been made to explore pharmacological therapies aimed at reducing symptoms of CIPN. While many of these agents provide a modest relief in the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, many have been shown to have additional negative side effects for cancer patients. Therefore, the authors suggest exercise rehabilitation as one lifestyle modification that may positively impact the lives of patients with CIPN. To our knowledge, there are currently no published clinical trials examining the role of exercise in preserving neurological function following chemotherapy. However, investigations using low-to-moderate intensity exercise as an intervention in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies have produced promising results. Given that cancer patients appear to tolerate exercise, it seems plausible that exercise rehabilitation could be used as an effective strategy to minimize CIPN-induced detriments to quality of life.

Acute myositis: an unusual and severe side effect of docetaxel: a case report and literature review.

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Rochigneux, Philippe; Schleinitz, Nicolas; Ebbo, Mikael; Aymonier, Marie; Pourroy, Bertrand; Boissier, Romain; Salas, Sébastien; Deville, Jean-Laurent

2018-06-01

Docetaxel is an antimicrotubules cytotoxic agent prescribed widely by medical oncologists in multiple tumor types (breast, lung, prostate, stomach, head, and neck). However, the side effects of docetaxel are numerous (cytopenia, peripheral edema, myalgia, arthralgia, alopecia, and sensitive neuropathy) and recent concerns have been raised about neutropenic enterocolitis in France. Here, we report the case of a 57-year-old patient with metastatic prostatic cancer, who developed a severe myositis and fasciitis grade IV 1 week after his second docetaxel infusion. We reviewed the five cases of docetaxel-related myositis described in the literature, and found that most of them occurred in patients with diabetes (n=5/5) or hypertension (n=4/5). A vascular toxicity may explain this severe complication, and patients with diabetes or hypertension should be monitored closely in the context of a docetaxel chemotherapy.

Perioperative chemotherapy in gastroesophageal cancer. A retrospective monocenter evaluation of 42 cases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann-Christin E Brehler

Full Text Available Perioperative chemotherapy increases the overall and progression-free survival of patients suffering from resectable adenocarcinomas of the lower esophagus, gastroesophageal junction and stomach (GEC. Comparing different chemotherapy regimens platin-based protocols with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU/calcium folinate (CF or oral fluoropyrimidines were favorable in terms of efficacy and side-effects. However, there is no consensus which regimen is the most efficacious.42 consecutive patients with resectable GEC (UICC II and III were treated with 3 pre- and postoperative chemotherapy cycles each consisting of epirubicin, oxaliplatin and capecitabine (EOX. We analyzed the overall survival, progression-free survival and toxicity retrospectively in comparison to published data.The median overall survival in our cohort was 29 months and the progression-free survival was 17 months. The most frequent grade 3 and 4 toxicities during preoperative chemotherapy were diarrhea (16.7%, leukocytopenia (9.5% and nausea (9.5%; overall 38.1% of our patients suffered from grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Surgery was carried out in 83% of our patients, 69% of those achieved R0 resection.Comparing our data with the results of previously published randomized trials EOX is at least non-inferior with regard to overall survival, progression-free survival and toxicity. In conclusion, EOX is an appropriate perioperative therapy for patients with resectable GEC.

Effects of KRAS, BRAF, NRAS, and PIK3CA mutations on the efficacy of cetuximab plus chemotherapy in chemotherapy-refractory metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective consortium analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Roock, Wendy; Claes, Bart; Bernasconi, David

2010-01-01

with KRAS wild-type tumours still do not respond. We studied the effect of other downstream mutations on the efficacy of cetuximab in, to our knowledge, the largest cohort to date of patients with chemotherapy-refractory metastatic colorectal cancer treated with cetuximab plus chemotherapy in the pre...

Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Scalp Cooling in the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia

OpenAIRE

Komen, Manon M.C.; Smorenburg, Carolien H.; van den Hurk, Corina J.G.; Nortier, Johan W.R.

2013-01-01

The success of scalp cooling in preventing or reducing chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) is highly variable. In a review of the literature, this study found that the factors influencing the effectiveness of scalp cooling to prevent CIA in patients with cancer include chemotherapy type and dose, as well as the degree and duration of cooling.

Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit

OpenAIRE

Coondoo, Arijit; Phiske, Meghana; Verma, Shyam; Lahiri, Koushik

2014-01-01

The introduction of topical steroids (TS) of varying potency have rendered the therapy of inflammatory cutaneous disorders more effective and less time-consuming. However the usefulness of these has become a double edged sword with constantly rising instances of abuse and misuse leading to serious local, systemic and psychological side effects. These side effects occur more with TS of higher potency and on particular areas of the body like face and genitalia. The article reviews the side effe...

Reirradiation on recurrent cervical cancer case: Treatment response and side effects

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Siregar, M. F.; Supriana, N.; Nuranna, L.; Prihartono, J.

2017-08-01

Management of recurrent cervical cancer by reirradiation after radiation treatment remains controversial. In Indonesia, there is currently no data about reirradiation tumor response and side effects. This study aims to assess the tumor response to and side effects of reirradiation, the effect of time interval between first radiation treatment and cancer recurrence on the tumor response and side effects, and the effect of tumor size on tumor response. A cohort retrospective study with no comparison was done with the Radiotherapy Department at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta. Participants were recurrent cervical cancer patients undergoing reirradiation. Data was collected from patients’ medical records and follow-up phone calls. Twenty-two patients participated in this study. Nine patients (40.9%) had complete responses, 10 patients (45.5%) had partial responses, 1 patient (4.5%) had a stable response, and 2 patients (9.1%) had tumor progressions. In general, 15 patients (68.2%) had no to light side effects (grade 0-2 RTOG) and 7 patients (31.8%) had severe side effects (grade 3-4 RTOG). Four patients (18.1%) had severe gastrointestinal acute side effects, 6 patients (27.3%) had severe gastrointestinal late side effects, 2 patients (9.1%) had severe urogenital side effects, and there were no patients had severe urogenital late side effects. There was no significant difference in tumor response between patients with time interval between first radiation treatment and recurrence of 4 cm. Reirradiation can be considered as a modality in recurrent cervical cancer management since good tumor response was achieved and the majority of patients had no to light side effects (grade 0-2 RTOG). This study found no correlation between tumor response, side effects, and time gap between first radiation treatment and recurrence of 4 cm.

Neurotoxic Effects of Anthracycline- vs Nonanthracycline-Based Chemotherapy on Cognition in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kesler, Shelli R; Blayney, Douglas W

2016-02-01

Chemotherapy exposure is a known risk factor for cancer-related cognitive impairments. Anthracycline-based regimens are commonly used chemotherapies that have been shown to be associated with cognitive impairment and brain changes in clinical studies. To directly compare the effects of anthracycline and nonanthracycline regimens on cognitive status and functional brain connectivity. In this observational study, we retrospectively examined cognitive and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data acquired from 62 primary breast cancer survivors (mean [SD] age, 54.7 [8.5] years) who were more than 2 years off-therapy, on average. Twenty of these women received anthracycline-based chemotherapy as part of their primary treatment, 19 received nonanthracycline regimens, and 23 did not receive any chemotherapy. Participants were enrolled at a single academic institution (Stanford University) from 2008 to 2014, and the study analyses were performed at this time. Cognitive status was measured using standardized neuropsychological tests, and functional brain connectivity was evaluated using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging with a focus on the brain's default mode network. The anthracycline group demonstrated significantly lower verbal memory performance including immediate recall (F = 3.73; P = .03) and delayed recall (F = 11.11; P < .001) as well as lower left precuneus connectivity (F = 7.48; P = .001) compared with the other 2 groups. Patient-reported outcomes related to cognitive dysfunction (F = 7.27; P = .002) and psychological distress (F = 5.64; P = .006) were similarly elevated in both chemotherapy groups compared with the non-chemotherapy-treated controls. These results suggest that anthracyclines may have greater negative effects than nonanthracycline regimens on particular cognitive domains and brain network connections. Both anthracycline and nonanthracycline regimens may have nonspecific effects on other cognitive

Are peripheral opioid antagonists the solution to opioid side effects?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Bates, John J

2012-02-03

Opioid medication is the mainstay of therapy for severe acute and chronic pain. Unfortunately, the side effects of these medications can affect patient comfort and safety, thus limiting their proven therapeutic potential. Whereas the main analgesic effects of opioids are centrally mediated, many of the common side effects are mediated via peripheral receptors. Novel peripheral opioid antagonists have been recently introduced that can block the peripheral actions of opioids without affecting centrally mediated analgesia. We review the clinical and experimental evidence of their efficacy in ameliorating opioid side effects and consider what further information might be useful in defining their role. IMPLICATIONS: The major analgesic effects of opioid medication are mediated within the brain and spinal cord. Many of the side effects of opioids are caused by activation of receptors outside these areas. Recently developed peripherally restricted opioid antagonists have the ability to block many opioid side effects without affecting analgesia.

Oral toxicity management in head and neck cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and radiation: Dental pathologies and osteoradionecrosis (Part 1) literature review and consensus statement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buglione, Michela; Cavagnini, Roberta; Di Rosario, Federico; Sottocornola, Lara; Maddalo, Marta; Vassalli, Lucia; Grisanti, Salvatore; Salgarello, Stefano; Orlandi, Ester; Paganelli, Corrado; Majorana, Alessandra; Gastaldi, Giorgio; Bossi, Paolo; Berruti, Alfredo; Pavanato, Giovanni; Nicolai, Piero; Maroldi, Roberto; Barasch, Andrei; Russi, Elvio G.; Raber-Durlacher, Judith; Murphy, Barbara; Magrini, Stefano M.

2016-01-01

Radiotherapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy and/or surgery is the typical treatment for head and neck cancer patients. Acute side effects (such as oral mucositis, dermatitis, salivary changes, taste alterations, etc.), and late toxicities in particular (such as osteo-radionecrosis,

[Management of adverse effects with antituberculosis chemotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuyuguchi, Kazunari; Wada, Masako

2011-02-01

Tuberculosis has now become a curable disease with chemotherapy. So it is natural that the present issues in tuberculosis management are focused on how to complete standard chemotherapy. In this context, management of adverse effects constitutes an essential part of antituberculosis chemotherapy, as well as directly observed therapy. In this symposium, discussions were held about three major subjects on this issue. First, hepatotoxicity develops frequently and has sometimes fatal outcome, which makes it the most problematic adverse effect. "Management of hepatotoxicity during antituberculosis chemotherapy" was published by the Japanese Society for Tuberculosis (JST) in 2006. Dr. Shinsho Yoshiba evaluated this recommendation and pointed out that the criteria for discontinuation of drug based on AST, ALT and bilirubin levels is too sensitive and the concept of predicting fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is lacking. He stressed the importance of monitoring serum prothrombin time for predicting FHF. Next, allergic drug reaction such as fever or skin rash often causes distress, although rarely fatal. As isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RFP) are key drugs for the cure, readministration of these drugs is often attempted by desensitization therapy. "Recommendation about desensitization therapy of antituberculosis drugs" was also published by JST in 1997. Dr. Yoshihiro Kobashi reported high success rates of 79 percent for INH and 75 percent for RFP according to this recommendation. He also reported correlated factor with the success, such as the longer period from the discontinuation to the desensitization therapy and lower doses of drugs at starting desensitization. Finally, we sometimes experience transient worsening of radiographical findings and general symptoms during antituberculosis chemotherapy. This is presumed to be due to allergic reaction to dead bacilli without requiring discontinuation of the drug. Differential diagnosis includes drug-induced pneumonia requring

The effect of exercise on the severity of the fatigue in colorectal cancer patients who received chemotherapy in Ahwaz.

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Shariati, Abdolali; Haghighi, Shayesteh; Fayyazi, Seddigheh; Tabesh, Hamed; Kalboland, Mehrnaz Moradi

2010-01-01

One of the common side effects of cancer is fatigue that affects patients' life quality and leads to disability. Exercise has an important role in improving these patients' life quality and can be used as a complementary treatment. Moreover, there are few studies on the impact of exercise on fatigue among patients with colon cancer. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of exercise on the severity of fatigue in patients with colorectal cancer who underwent chemotherapy in Ahwaz. In a quasi-experimental study, the adults with colorectal cancer were enrolled. The sample included 36 people. The study environment included adult hematology and chemotherapy wards of Shefa Hospital in Ahwaz. Data were collected using a demographic form and a questionnaire in order to measure the severity of fatigue. Then, the patients had 40 minutes of exercise, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The effect of exercise versus fatigue intensity was measured at the end of every week. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The mean of the fatigue severity in the weeks after exercise was significantly different from the week before it. Friedman test showed significant differences between all the weeks before and after the exercise. The mean of the fatigue severity was 3.69 on the week 0 (before the exercise), and decreased to 3.57 on the first week after exercise, 3.46 on the second week, 2.58 on the third week, and 1.69 on the forth week. Considering the results of this study, exercise and work-out can be an effective factor in reducing fatigue in patients.

Medication side effects among people with epilepsy taking phenobarbital in Zambia.

Science.gov (United States)

Elafros, Melissa A; Bui, Esther; Birbeck, Gretchen L

2014-11-01

Phenobarbital remains one of the most widely used antiepileptic drugs worldwide, yet there are limited data regarding side effects associated with its use in routine clinical care settings in low-income countries. Available data suggests that phenobarbital is as effective as other first-line drugs for treating tonic-clonic seizures, but side effect reports differ widely between high and low-income settings. A better understanding of phenobarbital side effect profile and severity in low-income settings is warranted given its role in efforts to decrease the epilepsy treatment gap. We used the Liverpool adverse events profile (LEAP) to assess side effects in consecutive patients with epilepsy on phenobarbital seeking care in rural Zambia. Data regarding age, gender, medication dose, and medication adherence were also collected. T-tests and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used to assess predictors of LEAP score and medication adherence. Thirty-five patients receiving a mean dose of 2.1mg/kg/day (SD: 2.78 mg/kg/day) of phenobarbital were assessed. All participants reported at least one side effect in the previous four weeks with a median of 6 symptoms (IQR: 4-8) and a mean side effects score of 28/76 (SD: 5.38). Over half reported sleepiness and dizziness. Memory problems and depression were also common (both 46%). Total LAEP score was not associated with age (p=0.88), gender (p=0.17), or phenobarbital dose (p=0.13). Medication adherence was not associated with side effects total score (p=0.56). Rural Zambian adults taking phenobarbital at doses recommended by the World Health Organization report a significant number of side effects. The most common side effects reported were similar to those reported in high-income countries. The significant burden of phenobarbital-associated side effects in this African cohort is in contrast to data from non-randomized clinical trials in China that reported phenobarbital to be well-tolerated with few side effects. Additional

The effect of chemotherapy on rat brain PET: preliminary study

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Kim, Jin Su; Kim, Il Han; Yu, A Ram; Park, Ji Ae; Woo, Sang Keun; Kim, Jong Guk; Cheon, Gi Jeong; Kim, Byeong Il; Choi, Chang Woon; Lim, Sang Moo; Kim, Hee Joung; Kim, Kyeong Min [Korea Institute Radiological and Medical Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

Chemotherapy was widely used for the therapy of cancer patients. When chemotherapy was performed, transient cognitive memory problem was occurred. This cognitive problem in brain was called as chemobrain. In this study, we have developed rat model for chemobrain. Cerebral glucose metabolism after chemotherapy was assessed using animal PET and voxel based statistical analysis method

The effect of chemotherapy on rat brain PET: preliminary study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Su; Kim, Il Han; Yu, A Ram; Park, Ji Ae; Woo, Sang Keun; Kim, Jong Guk; Cheon, Gi Jeong; Kim, Byeong Il; Choi, Chang Woon; Lim, Sang Moo; Kim, Hee Joung; Kim, Kyeong Min

2010-01-01

Chemotherapy was widely used for the therapy of cancer patients. When chemotherapy was performed, transient cognitive memory problem was occurred. This cognitive problem in brain was called as chemobrain. In this study, we have developed rat model for chemobrain. Cerebral glucose metabolism after chemotherapy was assessed using animal PET and voxel based statistical analysis method

Side Effects: Bleeding and Bruising

Science.gov (United States)

Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and targeted therapy, can increase patients’ risk of bleeding and bruising, also called thrombocytopenia. Learn about steps to take if you are at increased risk of a low platelet count.

Psychological Effects of Group Hypnotherapy on Breast Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Téllez, Arnoldo; Rodríguez-Padilla, Cristina; Martínez-Rodríguez, Jorge Luis; Juárez-García, Dehisy M; Sanchez-Armass, Omar; Sánchez, Teresa; Segura, Guillermo; Jaime-Bernal, Leticia

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of group hypnotherapy on anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, optimism, and social support during chemotherapy, in patients with breast cancer, compared with a control group with standard medical care. Hypnotherapy consisted of 24 sessions that included suggestions to encourage relaxation, self-esteem, the resolution of past traumatic events, physical healing, and optimism. Results show that the hypnotherapy group significantly decreased anxiety, distress, increased self-esteem, and optimism in the first 12 sessions. However, at the end of the 24 sessions, only self-esteem and optimism remained significant compared with the control group. The convenience of using hypnotherapy to encourage optimism and self-esteem in patients with breast cancer during chemotherapy treatment is discussed given its protective effect on health.

Estimating the adjuvant chemotherapy effect in elderly stage II and III colon cancer patients in an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ki-Yeol; Cha, In-Ho; Ahn, Joong Bae; Kim, Nam Kyu; Rha, Sun Young; Chung, Hyun Cheol; Roh, Jae Kyung; Shin, Sang Joon

2013-05-01

Adjuvant chemotherapy has been known as a standard treatment for patients with resected colon cancer. However, in elderly colon cancer patients, the characteristics of patients are heterogeneous with regard to life expectancy and comorbidities. Thus, with regard to the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer, it is difficult to extrapolate data of clinical trials from the younger into the older general population. Data for 382 elderly colon cancer patients were analyzed: 217 in Stage II and 165 in Stage III. The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated in elderly colon cancer patients after a match by the propensity score method. For matched patients with Stage II colon cancer, there was no significant efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in the risk of death during all follow-up periods (P-value, 0.06-0.37). Though there was a tendency that the adjuvant chemotherapy reduces the death rate during the follow-up periods, it was not statistically significant. In the case of Stage III, the adjuvant chemotherapy was significantly effective in matched patients for 5-year (hazard ratio [HR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30-0.90) and overall survival (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34-0.94). Adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly patients with Stage II colon cancer is not effective, whereas elderly patients with Stage III with adjuvant chemotherapy appear to have a better survival rate in the general population. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The side-effects to CPAP treatment inventory: the development and initial validation of a new tool for the measurement of side-effects to CPAP treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Broström, Anders; Arestedt, Kristofer Franzén; Nilsen, Per; Strömberg, Anna; Ulander, Martin; Svanborg, Eva

2010-12-01

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), but side-effects are common. No validated self-rating scale measuring side-effects to CPAP treatment exists today. The aim was to develop the side-effects to CPAP treatment inventory (SECI), and investigate the validity and reliability of the instrument among patients with OSAS. SECI was developed on the basis of: (1) in-depth interviews with 23 patients; (2) examination of the scientific literature and (3) consensus agreement of a multi-professional expert panel. This yielded 15 different types of side-effects related to CPAP treatment. Each side-effect has three sub-questions (scales): perceived frequency (a) and magnitude (b) of the side-effect, as well as its perceived impact on CPAP use (c). A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. A total of 329 patients with OSAS with an average use of CPAP treatment for 39 months (2 weeks to 182 months) were recruited. Data were collected with SECI, and obtained from medical records (clinical variables and data related to CPAP treatment). Construct validity was confirmed with factor analysis (principal component analysis with orthogonal rotation). A logical two-factor solution, the device subscale and symptom subscale, emerged across all three scales. The symptom subscale describing physical and psychological side-effects and the device subscale described mask and device-related side-effects. Internal consistency reliability of the three scales was good (Cronbach's α = 0.74-0.86) and acceptable for the subscales (Cronbach's α = 0.62-0.86). The satisfactory measurement properties of this new instrument are promising and indicate that SECI can be used to measure side-effects to CPAP treatment. © 2010 European Sleep Research Society.

Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy with Doxorubicin and Cisplatin Is Effective for Advanced Hepatocellular Cell Carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Chun Ma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC remains a fatal disease even in the era of targeted therapies. Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IACT can provide therapeutic benefits for patients with locally advanced HCC who are not eligible for local therapies or are refractory to targeted therapies. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the effect of IACT with cisplatin and doxorubicin on advanced HCC. Methods. Patients with advanced HCC who were not eligible for local therapies or were refractory to sorafenib received doxorubicin (50 mg/m2 and cisplatin (50 mg/m2 infusions into the liver via the transhepatic artery. Between January 2005 and December 2011, a total of 50 patients with advanced HCC received this treatment regimen. The overall response rate (ORR was 22% in all treated patients. In patients who received at least 2 cycles of IACT, the ORR was 36.7%, and the disease control rate was 70%. Survival rate differed significantly between patients who received only one cycle of IACT (group I and those who received several cycles (group II. The median progression-free survival was 1.3 months and 5.8 months in groups I and II, respectively (P<0.0001. The median overall survival was 8.3 months for all patients and was 3.1 months and 12.0 months in groups I and II, respectively (P<0.0001. The most common toxicity was alopecia. Four patients developed grade 3 or 4 leukopenia. Worsening of liver function, nausea, and vomiting were uncommon side effects. This study demonstrated clinical efficacy and tolerable side effects of repeated IACT with doxorubicin and cisplatin in advanced HCC. Our regimen can be an alternative choice for patients with adequate liver function who do not want to receive continuous infusion of IACT.

Intellectual and behavioral impairment after chemotherapy and radiotherapy among children with cancer in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsay, Susan; Mosavi-Jarrahi, Alireza; Arabgol, Fariba; Kiomarcy, Azadeh

2011-01-01

It is well established that treatment modalities against cancer have psychosocial and serious medical side effects especially neurologic, learning, and intellectual disorders among children with cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavioral change specially the effect of chemotherapy and cranial radiotherapy on the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with cancer. The children diagnosed with cancer and referred to Mahak Hospital (a well funded charity organization helping children with cancer in Iran) participated in this study. To assess the post treatment behavior, the Conner's Rating Scales (CRS) questionnaire, which its reliability and validity has been well established was administrated by trained interviewer in a two hour sessions to mother or attending nurses of the cases. The relationship between attention deficits, hyperactivity disorder were assessed with different categories of treatment, socio-economic status, age at diagnosis, sex, as well as duration since treatment. During periods of six months, 30 subjects (16 male and 14 female) were studied and participated in the study. Fifteen cases had both radiotherapy as well as chemotherapy and 15 cases just had chemotherapy as their treatment regiment. The mean Conner's Rating Score (total score of ADHD) were higher among those who received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy compared with those who had just chemotherapy but it was not statistically significant (34.7∓12.6 for just chemotherapy and 39.3∓9.0 for chemo and radiotherapy together). The total Conner's Rating Score was higher among girls compared to boys (mean ∓ standard deviation was 39.8∓9.4 for girls and 33.7∓12 for boys). Duration since treatment, age diagnosis, and mother's level of education had effect in post treatment intellectual capacity and behavioral aspect of patients. In the light of dramatic improvement of survival among children with cancer the intellectual and

Effects of side lying on lung function in older individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, F; Dean, E; Ross, J; Abboud, R T

1999-05-01

Body positioning exerts a strong effect on pulmonary function, but its effect on other components of the oxygen transport pathway are less well understood, especially the effects of side-lying positions. This study investigated the interrelationships between side-lying positions and indexes of lung function such as spirometry, alveolar diffusing capacity, and inhomogeneity of ventilation in older individuals. Nineteen nonsmoking subjects (mean age=62.8 years, SD=6.8, range=50-74) with no history of cardiac or pulmonary disease were tested over 2 sessions. The test positions were sitting and left side lying in one session and sitting and right side lying in the other session. In each of the positions, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), single-breath pulmonary diffusing capacity (DLCO/VA), and the slope of phase III (DN2%/L) of the single-breath nitrogen washout test to determine inhomogeneity of ventilation were measured. Compared with measurements obtained in the sitting position, FVC and FEV1 were decreased equally in the side-lying positions, but no change was observed in DLCO/VA or DN2%/L. Side-lying positions resulted in decreases in FVC and FEV1, which is consistent with the well-documented effects of the supine position. These findings further support the need for prescriptive rather than routine body positioning of patients with risks of cardiopulmonary compromise and the need to use upright positions in which lung volumes and capacities are maximized.

[Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on nutritional status of locally advanced gastric cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Guopeng; Qu, Jianjun; Zhai, Shengyong; Shi, Yiran; Wang, Xinbo

2018-03-25

To study the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on nutritional status in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Cases inclusion criteria: (1)18-65 years old; (2) Gastric cancer confirmed by gastroscopic biopsy; (3) Preoperative TNM stage III( according to the AJCC stage 2000 standard; (4) Kamosfsky functional status score> 60 points; (5)Receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy voluntarily and signing the informed consent form. Case exclusion criteria: (1)Having contraindications of chemotherapy and surgery; (2) Suffering from heart, liver and kidney and other underlying diseases; (3) Concurrent with malignant diseases, wasting disease or other digestive diseases. According to the above criteria, clinical data of 73 patients of stage III( gastric cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy at Weifang People's Hospital from May 2015 to March 2017 were prospectively collected. The cohort study was adopted. After removing 3 patients who did not complete the chemotherapy, a total of 70 patients who completed the chemotherapy were included in the study. All the patients received SOX chemotherapy without nutritional support during chemotherapy. Changes of body composition and nutritional indicators were analyzed before and after chemotherapy, and according to the tumor regression after chemotherapy, patients were divided into response group (complete or sub-total tumor regression) and non-response group (tumor part, with or without a small amount of retreat) for stratified analysis. Of 70 gastric cancer patients, 40 were male and 30 were female with a age of (53.8±6.4) (28 to 64) years. There were 26 cases (37.1%) of stage III(a, 35 cases (50.0%) of stage III(b and 9 cases (12.9%) of stage III(c. There were 41 cases in response group and 29 cases in non-response group. Three patients (4.3%) were complete remission (CR) and 38 patients (54.3%) were partial remission (PR) in response group, while 23 cases (32.9%) were stable disease (SD) and 6 cases (8.6%) were progressive

The effect of cigarette smoking on cancer treatment-related side effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Peppone, Luke J; Mustian, Karen M; Morrow, Gary R; Dozier, Ann M; Ossip, Deborah J; Janelsins, Michelle C; Sprod, Lisa K; McIntosh, Scott

2011-01-01

Cigarette smoking has long been implicated in cancer development and survival. However, few studies have investigated the impact of smoking on symptom burden in cancer survivors during treatment and at survivorship stage. This study examines the influence of cigarette smoking on side effects among 947 cancer patients during and 6 months following treatment. Patients diagnosed with cancer and scheduled to receive chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy reported on current smoking status (yes, no) and total symptom burden [the sum of 12 common symptoms (fatigue, hair loss, memory, nausea, depression, sleep, pain, concentration, hot flashes, weight loss, skin problems, and dyspnea) scored on an 11-point scale ranging from 0 = "not present" to 10 = "as bad as you can imagine"] during treatment and at 6-month follow-up. The adjusted mean total symptom burden by smoking status was determined by analysis of covariance controlling for age, gender, race, education, occupation, treatment, cancer site, and Karnofsky performance score. During treatment, smokers (S) had a significantly higher total symptom burden than nonsmokers (NS) (S = 46.3 vs. NS = 41.2; p < 0.05). At 6-month follow-up, smokers continued to report a higher total symptom burden than nonsmokers (S = 27.7 vs. NS = 21.9; p < 0.05). Participants who quit smoking before treatment levels had a total symptom burden similar to nonsmokers. Smoking was associated with an increased symptom burden during and following treatments for cancer. Targeted cessation efforts for smokers to decrease symptom burden may limit the likelihood of treatment interruptions and increase quality of life following treatment.

Side effects after lumbar iohexol myelography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sand, T.; Stovner, L.J.; Myhr, G.; Dale, L.G.

1990-01-01

Side effects of iohexol lumbar myelography have been analyzed with respect to the influence of the type of radiological abnormality, sex and age in a group of 200 patients. Headache, postural headache, nausea and back/leg pain were significantly more frequent in patients without definite radiological abnormalities. Postural headache, nausea, dizziness and mental symptoms were more frequent in women, while headache, postural headache, nausea, dizziness, minor mental symptoms (i.e. anxiety or depression) and pain became less frequent with age. This pattern is similar to that reported after lumbar puncture. Young women without definite clinical signs of nerve root lesions probably have the greatest risk of experiencing side effects after iohexol lumbar myelography. (orig.)

Arterial occlusion precipitated by cisplatinbased chemotherapy

OpenAIRE

Joseph, D.; Dubashi, B.; Karthikeyan, B.; Jain, A.

2010-01-01

Cisplatin-based therapy is curative in testicular cancer. Adverse effects of cisplatin-based chemotherapy include dose-dependent myelosuppression, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and ototoxicity. By contrast, chemotherapy-associated vascular complications are unpredictable. Few incidents of digital gangrene with cisplatin have been reported. Here, we present a patient who developed arterial occlusion leading to gangrene of the toe after cisplatinbased chemotherapy.

Effect of Persian Medicine Remedy on Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Breast Cancer: A Double Blind, Randomized, Crossover Clinical Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Nazari, Mohammad; Taghizadeh, Ali; Bazzaz, Mojtaba Mousavi; Rakhshandeh, Hassan; Shokri, Sadegh

2017-01-01

Background Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a side effect, and has negative effect on quality of life and continuation of chemotherapy. Despite new regimen and drugs, the problems still remain and standard guidelines, effective treatment and supportive care for refractory CINV are still not yet established. Persian medicine, the old Iranian medical school, offer Persumac (prepared from Rhus Coriaria and Bunium Persicum Boiss). Objective The specific objectives were to assess the effect of Persumac on the number and severity of nausea and vomiting in refractory CINV in acute and delayed phase. Methods This randomized, double blind, crossover clinical trial study was carried out on 93 patients with breast cancer and refractory CINV, who received outpatient high emetogenic chemotherapy in Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, Iran from October 2015 to May 2016. The study has three stages: in stage I patients received a questionaire and completed it after chemotherapy. In stage II they were randomly divided into intervention group with Persumac and control group with placebo (lactose were used). In stage III, wash out and crossover was conducted. Both groups in all stages received standard antiemetic therapy for CINV. The following were set as the inclusion criteria of the study: female, Age ≥18 years, clinical diagnosis of breast cancer, history of refractory CINV, normal blood tests and at least three courses of chemotherapy remaining. Exclusion criteria of this study were: Total or upper abdominal radiation therapy along with chemotherapy, drugs/therapy for nausea and vomiting not prescribed in this study, hypersensitivity to Sumac or Bunium Persicum, use of sumac and Bunium Persicum in seven days prior to the intervention, clinical diagnosis of digestion disorders, non-chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, milk allergy, loss of two consecutive or three intermittent doses of Persumac or placebo. Outcomes were gathered by Persian questionnaire. Number

Side effects during subcutaneous immunotherapy in children with allergic diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Tophof, Max A; Hermanns, Anne; Adelt, Thomas; Eberle, Peter; Gronke, Christine; Friedrichs, Frank; Knecht, Roland; Mönter, Ernst; Schöpfer, Helmut; Schwerk, Nicolaus; Steinbach, Jörg; Umpfenbach, Hans-Ulrich; Weißhaar, Christian; Wilmsmeyer, Brigitte; Bufe, Albrecht

2018-05-01

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only causal form of therapy for IgE-mediated allergic diseases. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is considered safe and well tolerated in adults, yet there is less evidence of safety in the pediatric population. A non-interventional prospective observing longitudinal study was carried out to determine the incidence of local and systemic side effects by SCIT, routinely performed in pediatric patients. A total of 581 pediatric patients were observed in 18 study centers between March 2012 and October 2014, recording 8640 treatments and 10 015 injections. A total of 54.6% of the patients experienced immediate local side effects at least once; delayed local side effects were seen in 56.1%. Immediate systemic adverse reactions occurred in 2.2% of patients; 7.4% experienced delayed systemic side effects. However, severe systemic side effects (grade III in the classification of Ring and Messmer) were seen in 0.03% of all treatments, all appearing within 30 minutes after the injections. No grade IV reactions were observed. In addition, many potential risk factors were investigated, yet only a few were found to be associated with the occurrence of side effects. Subcutaneous immunotherapy is a safe form of therapy in pediatric patients, with similar rates of local side effects compared to adult patients and low rates of severe systemic side effects. However, local and systemic reactions occurring later than 30 minutes after injection were observed more often than expected, which makes it essential to be attentive on behalf of pediatricians, patients, and parents. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Side effects associated with current and prospective antimigraine pharmacotherapies.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Hernández, Abimael; Marichal-Cancino, Bruno A; MaassenVanDenBrink, Antoinette; Villalón, Carlos M

2018-01-01

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder. Current acute specific antimigraine pharmacotherapies target trigeminovascular 5-HT 1B/1D , 5-HT 1F and CGRP receptors but, unfortunately, they induce some cardiovascular and central side effects that lead to poor treatment adherence/compliance. Therefore, new antimigraine drugs are being explored. Areas covered: This review considers the adverse (or potential) side effects produced by current and prospective antimigraine drugs, including medication overuse headache (MOH) produced by ergots and triptans, the side effects observed in clinical trials for the new gepants and CGRP antibodies, and a section discussing the potential effects resulting from disruption of the cardiovascular CGRPergic neurotransmission. Expert opinion: The last decades have witnessed remarkable developments in antimigraine therapy, which includes acute (e.g. triptans) and prophylactic (e.g. β-adrenoceptor blockers) antimigraine drugs. Indeed, the triptans represent a considerable advance, but their side effects (including nausea, dizziness and coronary vasoconstriction) preclude some patients from using triptans. This has led to the development of the ditans (5-HT 1F receptor agonists), the gepants (CGRP receptor antagonists) and the monoclonal antibodies against CGRP or its receptor. The latter drugs represent a new hope in the antimigraine armamentarium, but as CGRP plays a role in cardiovascular homeostasis, the potential for adverse cardiovascular side effects remains latent.

Regional intra-arterial vs. systemic chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fenghua Liu

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC versus systemic chemotherapy for stage III/IV pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated by regional intra-arterial or systemic chemotherapy were identified using PubMed, ISI, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Google, Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI electronic databases, for all publications dated between 1960 and December 31, 2010. Data was independently extracted by two reviewers. Odds ratios and relative risks were pooled using either fixed- or random-effects models, depending on I(2 statistic and Q test assessments of heterogeneity. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials comprised of 298 patients met the standards for inclusion in the meta-analysis, among 492 articles that were identified. Eight patients achieved complete remission (CR with regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC, whereas no patients achieved CR with systemic chemotherapy. Compared with systemic chemotherapy, patients receiving RIAC had superior partial remissions (RR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.65; 58.06% with RIAC and 29.37% with systemic treatment, clinical benefits (RR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.84, 2.97; 78.06% with RAIC and 29.37% with systemic treatment, total complication rates (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.87; 49.03% with RIAC and 71.33% with systemic treatment, and hematological side effects (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.91; 60.87% with RIAC and 85.71% with systemic treatment. The median survival time with RIAC (5-21 months was longer than for systemic chemotherapy (2.7-14 months. Similarly, one year survival rates with RIAC (28.6%-41.2% were higher than with systemic chemotherapy (0%-12.9%.. CONCLUSION: Regional intra-arterial chemotherapy is more effective and has fewer complications than

Regional intra-arterial vs. systemic chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fenghua; Tang, Yong; Sun, Junwei; Yuan, Zhanna; Li, Shasha; Sheng, Jun; Ren, He; Hao, Jihui

2012-01-01

To investigate the efficacy and safety of regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC) versus systemic chemotherapy for stage III/IV pancreatic cancer. Randomized controlled trials of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated by regional intra-arterial or systemic chemotherapy were identified using PubMed, ISI, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Google, Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) electronic databases, for all publications dated between 1960 and December 31, 2010. Data was independently extracted by two reviewers. Odds ratios and relative risks were pooled using either fixed- or random-effects models, depending on I(2) statistic and Q test assessments of heterogeneity. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0. Six randomized controlled trials comprised of 298 patients met the standards for inclusion in the meta-analysis, among 492 articles that were identified. Eight patients achieved complete remission (CR) with regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC), whereas no patients achieved CR with systemic chemotherapy. Compared with systemic chemotherapy, patients receiving RIAC had superior partial remissions (RR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.65; 58.06% with RIAC and 29.37% with systemic treatment), clinical benefits (RR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.84, 2.97; 78.06% with RAIC and 29.37% with systemic treatment), total complication rates (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.87; 49.03% with RIAC and 71.33% with systemic treatment), and hematological side effects (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.91; 60.87% with RIAC and 85.71% with systemic treatment). The median survival time with RIAC (5-21 months) was longer than for systemic chemotherapy (2.7-14 months). Similarly, one year survival rates with RIAC (28.6%-41.2%) were higher than with systemic chemotherapy (0%-12.9%.). Regional intra-arterial chemotherapy is more effective and has fewer complications than systemic chemotherapy for treating advanced

'My wig has been my journey's companion': perceived effects of an aesthetic care programme for Italian women suffering from chemotherapy-induced alopecia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zannini, L; Verderame, F; Cucchiara, G; Zinna, B; Alba, A; Ferrara, M

2012-09-01

This study explored the perceived effects of an aesthetic care/wig programme for Italian women suffering from chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Despite advances in the treatment of many side effects of chemotherapy, alopecia remains difficult to resolve. Literature suggests that patients' reactions to alopecia and camouflaging strategies depend on their gender, individual characteristics, social context, and culture. A qualitative study was designed involving 20 patients from Sicily (Italy), who participated in an aesthetic care programme. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was conducted on transcriptions. Our findings showed that, even if expected, alopecia is experienced as a traumatic event that challenges a woman's femininity, as reported by many other enquiries. Diverging from other studies, the wig is perceived as very helpful, since it camouflages baldness and reduces the 'sick aspect' related to alopecia. Patients consider their wig to be a 'friend', and it appears that through the aesthetic care programme they received support they otherwise would not have sought. We conclude that aesthetic care/wig programmes can help women affected by alopecia to cope with cancer 'stigma', especially in those rural contexts where psychosocial programmes are not frequently embraced by patients due to environmental and cultural barriers. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Liposome-encapsulated chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Børresen, B.; Hansen, A. E.; Kjær, A.

2018-01-01

Cytotoxic drugs encapsulated into liposomes were originally designed to increase the anticancer response, while minimizing off-target adverse effects. The first liposomal chemotherapeutic drug was approved for use in humans more than 20years ago, and the first publication regarding its use...... to inherent issues with the enhanced permeability and retention effect, the tumour phenomenon which liposomal drugs exploit. This effect seems very heterogeneously distributed in the tumour. Also, it is potentially not as ubiquitously occurring as once thought, and it may prove important to select patients...... not resolve the other challenges that liposomal chemotherapy faces, and more work still needs to be done to determine which veterinary patients may benefit the most from liposomal chemotherapy....

In vivo assessment of antiretroviral therapy-associated side effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Milton Ramos-Sanchez

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Antiretroviral therapy has been associated with side effects, either from the drug itself or in conjunction with the effects of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Here, we evaluated the side effects of the protease inhibitor (PI indinavir in hamsters consuming a normal or high-fat diet. Indinavir treatment increased the hamster death rate and resulted in an increase in triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose serum levels and a reduction in anti-oxLDL auto-antibodies. The treatment led to histopathological alterations of the kidney and the heart. These results suggest that hamsters are an interesting model for the study of the side effects of antiretroviral drugs, such as PIs.

Side effects of vagus nerve stimulation during physical exercise

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mulders, D.M.; de Vos, Cecilia Cecilia Clementine; Vosman, I.; Driesse, M.J.; van Putten, Michel Johannes Antonius Maria

2012-01-01

RATIONALE: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a treatment option in the case of refractory epilepsy. However, several side effects have been reported, including dyspnea, coughing and bradycardias [JCA 2010: 22;213-222]. Although some patients experience hardly any side effects from the stimulation

Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis and associated infections in a novel organotypic model.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobue, T; Bertolini, M; Thompson, A; Peterson, D E; Diaz, P I; Dongari-Bagtzoglou, A

2018-06-01

Oral mucositis is a common side effect of cancer chemotherapy, with significant adverse impact on the delivery of anti-neoplastic treatment. There is a lack of consensus regarding the role of oral commensal microorganisms in the initiation or progression of mucositis because relevant experimental models are non-existent. The goal of this study was to develop an in vitro mucosal injury model that mimics chemotherapy-induced mucositis, where the effect of oral commensals can be studied. A novel organotypic model of chemotherapy-induced mucositis was developed based on a human oral epithelial cell line and a fibroblast-embedded collagen matrix. Treatment of organotypic constructs with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) reproduced major histopathologic characteristics of oral mucositis, such as DNA synthesis inhibition, apoptosis and cytoplasmic vacuolation, without compromising the three-dimensional structure of the multilayer organotypic mucosa. Although structural integrity of the model was preserved, 5-FU treatment resulted in a widening of epithelial intercellular spaces, characterized by E-cadherin dissolution from adherens junctions. In a neutrophil transmigration assay we discovered that this treatment facilitated transport of neutrophils through epithelial layers. Moreover, 5-FU treatment stimulated key proinflammatory cytokines that are associated with the pathogenesis of oral mucositis. 5-FU treatment of mucosal constructs did not significantly affect fungal or bacterial biofilm growth under the conditions tested in this study; however, it exacerbated the inflammatory response to certain bacterial and fungal commensals. These findings suggest that commensals may play a role in the pathogenesis of oral mucositis by amplifying the proinflammatory signals to mucosa that is injured by cytotoxic chemotherapy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Study on combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy of the microcellular bronchial carcinoma (CCR study): chemo-/radiotherapy opposed to radio-/chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heilmann, H.P.; Buenemann, H.; Arnal, M.L.; Calavrezos, A.; Engel, J.; Hain, E.; Koschel, G.; Seysen, U.; Allgemeines Krankenhaus Harburg, Hamburg; Franke, H.D.; Juengst, G.; Kohl, F.V.; Wichert, P. v.

1983-01-01

The authors studied the effect of a chemo-/radiotherapy or radio-/chemotherapy on 52 cases of microcellular bronchial carcinoma, classification ''limited disease''. The survival curves were slightly better for the patients submitted to primary chemotherapy, but the difference was not statistically significant, and the curves coincided again after 18 months. 60 to 80% of the patients had no complaints or only unimportant complaints during more than half of their survival time. In 23 patients with ''extensive disease'' who received only a symptomatic therapy or a combined palliative chemotherapy, chemotherapy had a slightly better effect, but this was not statistically significant. (orig.) [de

Integrative relational machine-learning for understanding drug side-effect profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Bresso, Emmanuel; Grisoni, Renaud; Marchetti, Gino; Karaboga, Arnaud Sinan; Souchet, Michel; Devignes, Marie-Dominique; Smaïl-Tabbone, Malika

2013-06-26

Drug side effects represent a common reason for stopping drug development during clinical trials. Improving our ability to understand drug side effects is necessary to reduce attrition rates during drug development as well as the risk of discovering novel side effects in available drugs. Today, most investigations deal with isolated side effects and overlook possible redundancy and their frequent co-occurrence. In this work, drug annotations are collected from SIDER and DrugBank databases. Terms describing individual side effects reported in SIDER are clustered with a semantic similarity measure into term clusters (TCs). Maximal frequent itemsets are extracted from the resulting drug x TC binary table, leading to the identification of what we call side-effect profiles (SEPs). A SEP is defined as the longest combination of TCs which are shared by a significant number of drugs. Frequent SEPs are explored on the basis of integrated drug and target descriptors using two machine learning methods: decision-trees and inductive-logic programming. Although both methods yield explicit models, inductive-logic programming method performs relational learning and is able to exploit not only drug properties but also background knowledge. Learning efficiency is evaluated by cross-validation and direct testing with new molecules. Comparison of the two machine-learning methods shows that the inductive-logic-programming method displays a greater sensitivity than decision trees and successfully exploit background knowledge such as functional annotations and pathways of drug targets, thereby producing rich and expressive rules. All models and theories are available on a dedicated web site. Side effect profiles covering significant number of drugs have been extracted from a drug ×side-effect association table. Integration of background knowledge concerning both chemical and biological spaces has been combined with a relational learning method for discovering rules which explicitly

In vivo synergistic cytogenetic effects of aminophylline on lymphocyte cultures from patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mylonaki, Effie; Manika, Katerina [Pulmonary Department, “G.Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Zarogoulidis, Paul, E-mail: pzarog@hotmail.com [Pulmonary Department, “G.Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Domvri, Kalliopi; Voutsas, Vasilis; Zarogoulidis, Kostas [Pulmonary Department, “G.Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Mourelatos, Dionysios [Biology and Genetics, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

2012-12-15

Highlights: ► SCEs in vivo, a possible predictor of tumor chemoresponse. ► In vivo exposure to combined treatment, applying the SCE assay. ► Aminophylline enhances DNA instability induced by chemotherapy in vivo. ► In vivo synergistic effect of Aminophylline with the chemotherapeutic agents. - Abstract: Background: The anti-cancer and cytogenetic effects of aminophylline (AM) have been demonstrated in several clinical trials. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo cytogenetic effects of AM in newly diagnosed patients with small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), receiving chemotherapy for the first time. Methods: Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and proliferation rate index (PRI) were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures from six patients with SCLC and six patients with NSCLC after the in vitro addition of AM and after the in vivo administration of AM in patients receiving chemotherapy. Results: The in vitro addition of AM significantly increased SCEs only in SCLC patients (p < 0.001). The in vivo administration of AM after chemotherapy increased SCEs in both cancer types (SCLC: p < 0.001, NSCLC: p = 0.003) and this increase was synergistic, the rates of SCEs in the presence of AM were higher than the expected SCE values if the increases above background for chemotherapy and AM were independent and additive (SCLC: p < 0.001, NSCLC: p = 0.008). Although in both groups of patients cell division delays were observed after the combined chemotherapy plus in vivo AM treatment, the correlation between the magnitude of the SCE response and the PRI depression was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: These observations suggest that AM enhances the results of concurrently administered chemotherapy by synergistically increasing its cytogenetic effects in patients with lung cancer.

Schedule-Dependent Antiangiogenic and Cytotoxic Effects of Chemotherapy on Vascular Endothelial and Retinoblastoma Cells.

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Ursula Winter

Full Text Available Current treatment of retinoblastoma involves using the maximum dose of chemotherapy that induces tumor control and is tolerated by patients. The impact of dose and schedule on the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy has not been studied. Our aim was to gain insight into the cytotoxic and antiangiogenic effect of the treatment scheme of chemotherapy used in retinoblastoma by means of different in vitro models and to evaluate potential effects on multi-drug resistance proteins. Two commercial and two patient-derived retinoblastoma cell types and two human vascular endothelial cell types were exposed to increasing concentrations of melphalan or topotecan in a conventional (single exposure or metronomic (7-day continuous exposure treatment scheme. The concentration of chemotherapy causing a 50% decrease in cell proliferation (IC50 was determined by MTT and induction of apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Expression of ABCB1, ABCG2 and ABCC1 after conventional or metronomic treatments was assessed by RT-qPCR. We also evaluated the in vivo response to conventional (0.6 mg/kg once a week for 2 weeks and metronomic (5 days a week for 2 weeks topotecan in a retinoblastoma xenograft model. Melphalan and topotecan were cytotoxic to both retinoblastoma and endothelial cells after conventional and metronomic treatments. A significant decrease in the IC50 (median, 13-fold; range: 3-23 was observed following metronomic chemotherapy treatment in retinoblastoma and endothelial cell types compared to conventional treatment (p0.05. In mice, continuous topotecan lead to significantly lower tumor volumes compared to conventional treatment after 14 days of treatment (p<0.05. Continuous exposure to melphalan or topotecan increased the chemosensitivity of retinoblastoma and endothelial cells to both chemotherapy agents with lower IC50 values compared to short-term treatment. These findings were validated in an in vivo model. None of the dosing modalities induced

Dealing with chemotherapy-related symptoms at home: a qualitative study in adult patients with cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Coolbrandt, A; Dierckx de Casterlé, B; Wildiers, H; Aertgeerts, B; Van der Elst, E; van Achterberg, T; Milisen, K

2016-01-01

Given that chemotherapy treatments are done mostly in an outpatient setting, patients with cancer must deal with treatment-related symptoms mainly at home. Evidence suggests that they often feel left alone or unprepared to do so. This qualitative study explores how patients deal with chemotherapy-related symptoms in their home, which factors and ideas influence their self-management and what role professional caregivers play. One-off, semi-structured interviews were held with 28 adult patients with cancer being treated with chemotherapy. Using a Grounded Theory approach, we cyclically collected and analysed data to come to a thorough understanding of the major conceptual themes and their interconnections. Dealing with chemotherapy-related symptoms involves a process of experiencing and learning how side effects unfold over time and how to deal with them. Patients express very personal symptom experiences and symptom-management styles, which are shaped by personal factors (e.g. coping with cancer and cancer treatment, perceived level of control) and environmental factors (e.g. professionals' attitude, information resources). Improving symptom self-management support requires active exploration of the personal symptom experience and symptom-management style. Professional care should be tailored to the patient's perspective and should address personal and environmental determinants of their behaviour. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Effects of prophylactic chemotherapy on outcomes and prognosis of patients older than 40 years with invasive mole].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, S Y; Li, L; Zhao, J; Xiang, Y; Wan, X R; Feng, F Z; Ren, T; Yang, J J

2017-06-25

Objective: To discuss the effects of prophylactic chemotherapy on the outcomes and prognosis of invasive mole patients. Methods: One hundred and fifteen invasive mole (IM) patients older than 40 years were registered in Peking Union Medical Collage Hospital.Eleven of them were treated with prophylactic chemotherapy before diagnosed as IM prophylactic chemotherapy group, while the other 104 cases received therapeutic chemotherapy after diagnosed as IM (non-prophylactic chemotherapy group). The general clinical data (including age, clinical stage, risk factor score), treatment, outcomes and relapse of patients were retrospectively compared between two groups. Results: (1) The age of prophylactic chemotherapy group and non-prophylactic chemotherapy group were (47±5) versus (46±4) years old. Ratio of clinical stageⅠ-Ⅱ were 3/11 versus 29.8% (31/104), clinical stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ were 8/11 versus 70.2% (73/104). Ratio of risk factor score 0-6 were 11/11 versus 84.6% (88/104), risk factor score >6 were 0 versus 15.4% (16/104). There were no significant statistical differences between two groups in age, clinical stage or risk factor score (all P> 0.05). (2) Treatment: the total chemotherapy courses between prophylactic chemotherapy group and non-prophylactic chemotherapy group (median 7 versus 5) were significantly different ( Z= 3.071, P= 0.002). There were no significant statistical differences between two groups in the chemotherapy courses until negative conversion of β-hCG, consolidation chemotherapy courses, total therapeutic chemotherapy courses or ratio of hysterectomy (all P> 0.05). (3) Outcomes and relapse: between the prophylactic chemotherapy group and the non-prophylactic chemotherapy group, the complete remission rate were 11/11 versus 98.1%(102/104), the relapse rate were 0 versus 1.0%(1/102). There were no significant difference between the two groups in outcomes or relapse rate ( P> 0.05). Conclusions: Prophylactic chemotherapy does not substantially

Lymphatic-targeted therapy following neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a promising strategy for lymph node-positive breast cancer treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianghao; Yao, Qing; Wang, Hui; Wang, Bo; Zhang, Juliang; Wang, Ting; Lv, Yonggang; Han, Zenghui; Wang, Ling

2015-07-01

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been increasingly used to downstage breast cancer prior to surgery recently. However, in some cases, it was observed that despite sufficient regression of primary tumors, the metastatic lymph nodes remained nonresponsive. In this study, we applied lymphatic-targeted strategy to evaluate its efficacy and safety for patients presenting refractory nodes following systemic chemotherapy. A total of 318 breast cancer patients were demonstrated with lymph node metastasis by needle biopsy and given neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Two cycles later, 72 patients were observed with responsive tumors but stable nodes, 42 of which received a subcutaneous injection of lymphatic-targeted pegylated liposomal doxorubicin during the third cycle, while the remaining 30 patients were continued with former neoadjuvant therapeutic pattern and regarded as the control. Lymphatic-targeted treatment substantially increased both clinical and pathological node response rate [62 % (26/42) vs. 13 % (4/30) and 12 % (5/42) vs. 0 (0/30), respectively], and induced a higher apoptosis level of metastatic cells (median, 41 vs. 6 %), compared with the control. Moreover, a higher disease-free survival was observed after a median follow-up of 4 years (69 vs. 56 %). Inflammatory reaction surrounding injection sites was the most common side effect. Lymphatic chemotherapy has reliable efficacy and well-tolerated toxicity for breast cancer patients presenting refractory lymph nodes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Effect of cetuximab combined with paclitaxel + cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy on esophageal cancer cell proliferation and invasion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Lin Zhao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of cetuximab combined with paclitaxel + cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy on esophageal cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Methods: A total of 62 patients with esophageal cancer who were treated in the hospital between January 2015 and December 2016 were collected and divided into control group and observation group according to random number table, with 31 cases in each group. Control group of patients received paclitaxel + cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy + surgery, and observation group of patients accepted cetuximab combined with paclitaxel + cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy + surgery. The differences in proliferation and invasion gene expression in the tumor tissue were compared between two groups of patients before and after chemotherapy. Results: Before chemotherapy, differences in proliferation and invasion gene expression in tumor tissue were not statistically significant between two groups of patients. After chemotherapy, proproliferation genes FOXA1, ABCE1, USP39 and Nestin mRNA expression in tumor tissue of observation group were significantly lower than those of control group; anti-proliferation genes PETN, KLF4, TSLC1 and AnnexinA2 mRNA expression were significantly higher than those of control group; pro-invasion genes γ-synuclein, CXCR4 and Snail mRNA expression were significantly lower than those of control group; anti-invasion genes CIAPIN1, Fez and Lrig1 mRNA expression were significantly higher than that of control group. Conclusions: Cetuximab combined with paclitaxel + cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy can effectively inhibit the malignant degree of esophageal cancer cells and inhibit its proliferation and invasion.

Assessment of the Radiation-Equivalent of Chemotherapy Contributions in 1-Phase Radio-chemotherapy Treatment of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plataniotis, George A.; Dale, Roger G.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To estimate the radiation equivalent of the chemotherapy contribution to observed complete response rates in published results of 1-phase radio-chemotherapy of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Methods and Materials: A standard logistic dose–response curve was fitted to data from radiation therapy-alone trials and then used as the platform from which to quantify the chemotherapy contribution in 1-phase radio-chemotherapy trials. Two possible mechanisms of chemotherapy effect were assumed (1) a fixed radiation-independent contribution to local control; or (2) a fixed degree of chemotherapy-induced radiosensitization. A combination of both mechanisms was also considered. Results: The respective best-fit values of the independent chemotherapy-induced complete response (CCR) and radiosensitization (s) coefficients were 0.40 (95% confidence interval −0.07 to 0.87) and 1.30 (95% confidence interval 0.86-1.70). Independent chemotherapy effect was slightly favored by the analysis, and the derived CCR value was consistent with reports of pathologic complete response rates seen in neoadjuvant chemotherapy-alone treatments of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The radiation equivalent of the CCR was 36.3 Gy. Conclusion: Although the data points in the analyzed radio-chemotherapy studies are widely dispersed (largely on account of the diverse range of chemotherapy schedules used), it is nonetheless possible to fit plausible-looking response curves. The methodology used here is based on a standard technique for analyzing dose-response in radiation therapy-alone studies and is capable of application to other mixed-modality treatment combinations involving radiation therapy

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MIXED JUICE MUNG BEAN AND GUAVA FOR INCREASING HEMOGLOBIN LEVEL IN CANCER PATIENT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurul Huda

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Cancer is a chronic disease with high morbidity and mortality rate in a year. One of therapy in curing cancer is chemotherapy. But unfortunately chemotherapy has some negative effects such as decreasing the level of hemoglobin (Hb. Mung bean that contain a lot of iron and Guava which is rich of vitamin C for iron absorption are useful in cancer patient with chemotherapy. Therefore, a mixture of both is believed in increasing hemoglobin level significantly. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mixed juice mung bean and guava for increasing hemoglobin level in experiment and control group of cancer patient with chemotherapy.This research used Quasi Experiment design with pretest-posttest design control group approach. The total number of respondent was 30 chosen by purposive sampling method. Results of this study showed hemoglobin level in experiment group 14.07 and 10.42 in control group with p value (0,000 < α (0,05. It can be concluded that a mixture juice mung beans and guava effective for increasing hemoglobin level in cancer patient with chemotherapy. This research suggests that this mixture can be an option for nursing intervention in increasing hemoglobin level for cancer patient after receiving chemotherapy.

Adjuvant chemotherapy and cancer cure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertino, J.R.

1983-01-01

The use of chemotherapy as an adjuvant to surgery and/or radiotherapy is well founded in experimental tumor systems and appears to be effective in patients in some circumstances. It is clear from both clinical and experimental studies that (1) the dose is important, (2) the earlier chemotherapy is started after primary therapy the better, and (3) combination chemotherapy may be more effective than single-agent treatment. The better the estimation of risk of recurrence, the better the assessment of the risk-benefit ratio with adjuvant therapy. Salvage therapy as well as relative risk of recurrence are considerations in the choice of patients to be treated. Finally, some evidence is presented to indicate that alkylating agents may not be necessary in combination regimens for adjuvant therapy if effective antimetabolite combinations are available

Finasteride and sexual side effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkataram Mysore

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Finasteride, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, widely used in the medical management of male pattern hairloss, has been reported to cause sexual side effects. This article critically examines the evidence available and makes recommendations as to how a physician should counsel a patient while prescribing the drug.

A 10-year experience of outcome in chemotherapy-treated hereditary retinoblastoma.

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Bartuma, Katarina; Pal, Niklas; Kosek, Sonja; Holm, Stefan; All-Ericsson, Charlotta

2014-08-01

The aim is to report the 10-year retrospective experience of systemic chemotherapy for a population-based group of patients with hereditary retinoblastoma at a national referral centre. The outcomes include control rates, treatment side-effects, adjuvant therapy, failure rate, survival, secondary cancers and visual acuity. All patients (n = 24, 46 eyes) diagnosed with retinoblastoma and treated with systemic chemotherapy at a national referral centre during 2001-2011 were included. Data were extracted from medical records. The patients were followed for a mean of 60 months (range 13-144). Four-six cycles of VEC was administered to all newly diagnosed group B/C/D/E eyes with bilateral disease and 83% (38 of 46) responded to the treatment. None of the patients discontinued chemotherapy because of adverse reactions. Altogether 26% (12 of 46) of the eyes received second-line therapy (other than thermotherapy, cryotherapy and chemotherapy). The failure rate was 35% (16 of 46) and mortality rate 0%. None of the patients developed CNS manifestations (metastases or trilateral retinoblastoma). One of the patients developed a second primary tumour (osteosarcoma) 4 years following retinoblastoma diagnosis. Altogether 17% (4 of 24) patients received radiation therapy, 28% (13 of 46) of the eyes had to be enucleated, and one patient underwent bilateral enucleation. The age-correlated visual acuity was mean of 73% of expected visual acuity. Group A/B retinoblastomas have a distinct chemotherapy response, while group C/D/E tumours do not respond as well. The success rate was 65%; while patients have a good prognosis for life, approximately one-third of all hereditary cases received radiation therapy or underwent enucleation. © 2013 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding the Stress Management Needs and Preferences of Latinas Undergoing Chemotherapy.

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Martinez Tyson, Dinorah Dina; Jacobsen, Paul; Meade, Cathy D

2016-12-01

This exploratory study provides insights into everyday realities, concerns, and cultural perspectives of Latinas undergoing chemotherapy, and elicits information on stress management and information needs. Informed by a community-based participatory research approach using qualitative methods, we conducted ten interviews with providers, and two focus groups (n = 13) and 20 in-depth interviews with Latinas recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Providers and Latina patients acknowledged multiple physical and emotional stressors associated with cancer treatment, viewed a positive aspect of the cancer experience to include connection with God and enhanced spirituality, saw family as a motivating factor for recovery, and expressed a need to draw on existing coping strategies. Findings show considerable overlap between providers and Latina cancer patients' perceptions of stressors during chemotherapy. However, a few notable differences in perceptions of stress management needs during this treatment period emerged. While Latina cancer patients mentioned similar social/structural stressors (e.g., economic problems, lack of information) they tended to emphasize more of the interpersonal stressors related to family communication and relationships (e.g., providing and caring for family, distance from family), and intrapersonal stressors such as fear, changes in physical appearance, and side effects of chemotherapy. Our study illustrates the importance of including multiple perspectives. The information gained by including both providers and patient perspectives yielded a more complete understanding of the stress management needs of Latinas undergoing chemotherapy. Findings suggest that stress management educational interventions should aim to develop self-care skills, be culturally relevant and language-specific, and build upon stress-reducing strategies Latinas may already employ.

Patient-provider communication and hormonal therapy side effects in breast cancer survivors.

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Lin, Jenny J; Chao, Jennifer; Bickell, Nina A; Wisnivesky, Juan P

2017-09-01

Side effects from hormonal therapy (HT) for breast cancer treatment occur frequently and are associated with worse quality of life and HT non-adherence. Whether improved patient-physician communication is associated with patients' reporting of side effects is unknown. We undertook this study to assess factors associated with women's reports of HT side effects. Between December 2012 and April 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of breast cancer patients undergoing HT in an urban medical center. Descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate associations. Of the 100 participants, 67% reported having HT side effects. However, when prompted, an additional 9% reported experiencing specific HT-related symptoms. Despite very high communication scores, one-third of participants reported they had not discussed side effects with providers. Multivariate analysis showed that after controlling for age, education, race, and medication beliefs, women who had difficulty asking providers for more information were more likely to report side effects (odds ratio 8.27, 95% confidence interval 1.01-69.88). Although HT side effects often occur and are bothersome, patient-provider discussions about side effects remain suboptimal. Providers should actively ask patients about medication side effects so that they can be addressed to improve quality of life and potentially, medication adherence.

Extravasation of chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langer, Seppo W

2010-01-01

Extravasation of chemotherapy is a feared complication of anticancer therapy. The accidental leakage of cytostatic agents into the perivascular tissues may have devastating short-term and long-term consequences for patients. In recent years, the increased focus on chemotherapy extravasation has led...... to the development of international guidelines that have proven useful tools in daily clinical practice. Moreover, the tissue destruction in one of the most dreaded types of extravasation (ie, anthracycline extravasation) now can effectively be prevented with a specific antidote, dexrazoxane....

A hierarchical anatomical classification schema for prediction of phenotypic side effects.

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Wadhwa, Somin; Gupta, Aishwarya; Dokania, Shubham; Kanji, Rakesh; Bagler, Ganesh

2018-01-01

Prediction of adverse drug reactions is an important problem in drug discovery endeavors which can be addressed with data-driven strategies. SIDER is one of the most reliable and frequently used datasets for identification of key features as well as building machine learning models for side effects prediction. The inherently unbalanced nature of this data presents with a difficult multi-label multi-class problem towards prediction of drug side effects. We highlight the intrinsic issue with SIDER data and methodological flaws in relying on performance measures such as AUC while attempting to predict side effects.We argue for the use of metrics that are robust to class imbalance for evaluation of classifiers. Importantly, we present a 'hierarchical anatomical classification schema' which aggregates side effects into organs, sub-systems, and systems. With the help of a weighted performance measure, using 5-fold cross-validation we show that this strategy facilitates biologically meaningful side effects prediction at different levels of anatomical hierarchy. By implementing various machine learning classifiers we show that Random Forest model yields best classification accuracy at each level of coarse-graining. The manually curated, hierarchical schema for side effects can also serve as the basis of future studies towards prediction of adverse reactions and identification of key features linked to specific organ systems. Our study provides a strategy for hierarchical classification of side effects rooted in the anatomy and can pave the way for calibrated expert systems for multi-level prediction of side effects.

Evaluation of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Li; Deng Zhiyong

2013-01-01

Preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become the standardized treatment for patients with locally advanced breast cancer. With the wide application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in clinic, evaluation of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy seems increasingly important. How to evaluate the curative effect of chemotherapy timely, accurately, effectively and noninvasively has become the focus of clinical research. At present, clinical palpation,radiographic measurement and pathological examination are usually used in clinic, and the study of breast cancer biology factor is also rapidly spread. The application status of different evaluation methods of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were reviewed in this article. (authors)

[Side Effects of Smoking Cessation].

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Braun, Raffael; Huwiler, Bernhard

2018-06-01

Side Effects of Smoking Cessation Abstract. We present the case of a clozapine intoxication associated with aspiration pneumonia due to smoking cessation. Clozapine is mainly metabolized by CYP1A2. CYP1A2 is induced by cigarette smoking, which may change the plasma level of clozapine, especially if consuming habits change.

The acute effects of CMF-based chemotherapy on maxillary periodontal microcirculation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milstein, Dan M. J.; Bezemer, Rick; Lindeboom, Jérôme A. H.; Ince, Can

2009-01-01

A high incidence of oral complications is associated with chemotherapy (CT) treatment in cancer patients; however, while knowledge into molecular mechanisms of their pathobiology continue to evolve, the direct physiological effects of CT on oral tissue perfusion remain unexplored. The aim of this

The acute effects of CMF based chemotherapy on maxillary periodontal microcirculation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milstein, D.M.J.; Bezemer, R.; Lindeboom, J.A.H.; Ince, C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: A high incidence of oral complications is associated with chemotherapy (CT) treatment in cancer patients; however, while knowledge into molecular mechanisms of their pathobiology continue to evolve, the direct physiological effects of CT on oral tissue perfusion remain unexplored. The aim

WE-D-BRE-04: Modeling Optimal Concurrent Chemotherapy Schedules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, J; Deasy, J O

2014-01-01

Purpose: Concurrent chemo-radiation therapy (CCRT) has become a more common cancer treatment option with a better tumor control rate for several tumor sites, including head and neck and lung cancer. In this work, possible optimal chemotherapy schedules were investigated by implementing chemotherapy cell-kill into a tumor response model of RT. Methods: The chemotherapy effect has been added into a published model (Jeong et al., PMB (2013) 58:4897), in which the tumor response to RT can be simulated with the effects of hypoxia and proliferation. Based on the two-compartment pharmacokinetic model, the temporal concentration of chemotherapy agent was estimated. Log cell-kill was assumed and the cell-kill constant was estimated from the observed increase in local control due to concurrent chemotherapy. For a simplified two cycle CCRT regime, several different starting times and intervals were simulated with conventional RT regime (2Gy/fx, 5fx/wk). The effectiveness of CCRT was evaluated in terms of reduction in radiation dose required for 50% of control to find the optimal chemotherapy schedule. Results: Assuming the typical slope of dose response curve (γ50=2), the observed 10% increase in local control rate was evaluated to be equivalent to an extra RT dose of about 4 Gy, from which the cell-kill rate of chemotherapy was derived to be about 0.35. Best response was obtained when chemotherapy was started at about 3 weeks after RT began. As the interval between two cycles decreases, the efficacy of chemotherapy increases with broader range of optimal starting times. Conclusion: The effect of chemotherapy has been implemented into the resource-conservation tumor response model to investigate CCRT. The results suggest that the concurrent chemotherapy might be more effective when delayed for about 3 weeks, due to lower tumor burden and a larger fraction of proliferating cells after reoxygenation

Body weight, hemoglobin, and absolute neutrophil count in patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer who received chemotherapy: A single-center study

Science.gov (United States)

Gunawan, Y.; Winarto, H.

2017-08-01

The side effects of chemotherapy, a treatment modality of ovarian cancer, can disrupt overall treatment. To date, the clinical and laboratory profiles of ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy have not been investigated. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical and laboratory profiles of patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer who received chemotherapy in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, including body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin (Hb), and absolute neutrophil count (ANC). To generate these clinical and laboratory profiles, we collected secondary data from the medical records of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received six cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. We enrolled 23 patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received six cycles of chemotherapy. Mean patient BMI before and after chemotherapy was 22.86 kg/m2 and 21.78 kg/m2, respectively. Hb levels before chemotherapy were 8-13 g/dl, with Hb chemotherapy. Mean ANC before chemotherapy was 3.5582 ± 3.3250. An average of 26.81% of patients had ANC chemotherapy; no patients had ANC chemotherapy initiation. After six cycles of chemotherapy, three patients (13.04%) had mild neutropenia, four patients (17.39%) had moderate neutropenia, and one patient (4.35%) had severe neutropenia. Of the 22 patients with Hb ≥ 10 g/dl before chemotherapy, 16 (72.72%) experienced a decrease in ANC during chemotherapy. Of the 20 patients (60.87%) with normal BMI or higher, 14 experienced a decrease in ANC during chemotherapy. The mean patient body weight decreased after six cycles of chemotherapy. Hb and ANC were persistently decreased in approximately a quarter of the 23 subjects. The decrease in ANC was not influenced by initial Hb and BMI.

Chemotherapy or radio-chemotherapy for advanced adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus and cardiac orifice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seitz, J.F.; Duffaud, F.; Dahan, L.; Ries, P.; Ville, E.; Laugier, R.

2001-01-01

Adenocarcinomas of esophagus and cardia represent in France approximately 20 to 40% of the esophagus cancers. They have a high risk to develop lymph nodes metastases and liver metastases. Currently, only 50 to 70% of patients may benefit from surgical curative resection at diagnosis, but more than 50% of them will recur. The standard of treatment of these metastatic adenocarcinomas is chemotherapy. Three large randomized comparative studies, between chemotherapy and supportive care, showed that chemotherapy significantly extends the median of survival (from 3-4 months to 10-12 months) and improves the quality of life. Currently, the combination of epirubicin-cisplatin-continuous 5FU (ECF) is the most effective regimen but it is difficult to administer and tolerate because of the long continuous 5FU infusion. In France, the most commonly used combination regimen still associates 5FU and cisplatin. New drugs (such as docetaxel, CPT11, oxaliplatin) used alone or in combination, especially with 5U, are very promising. Radio-chemotherapy is the preferred treatment for locoregional recurrences, because it improves dysphagia and enables to obtain complete tumor responses. Current results from concomitant radio-chemotherapy studies for esophagus cancer, based on 5FU alone, 5FU-cisplatin or 5FU-mitomycin, given as preoperative treatment or as exclusive treatment, support to use radio-chemotherapy for the treatment of loco-regional recurrences after surgical resection. Nevertheless, the optimal radio-chemotherapy schedule still remain to be defined (dose, duration, splitting of radiotherapy, choice of anticancer drugs). (authors)

Side effects of external tooth bleaching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruzell, E.M.; Pallesen, Ulla; Thoresen, N.R.

2013-01-01

Objective The study was performed to assess the risk of at-home and in-office bleaching procedures, and to recognise potential predictors for side effects. Design Multi-centre, questionnaire-based prospective study with follow-ups at around 14 days and around one year post-treatment. Setting...... General practices and university clinics during the years 2007‑2009 in Scandinavia. Subjects Patients with tooth bleaching as part of the treatment plan. Results The prevalence of experienced tooth sensitivity at first follow-up was independent of bleaching procedure (at-home = 50.3% [n = 143]; in...... attributed to the bleaching treatment in the at-home and in-office groups, respectively. Predictors for side effects were tooth sensitivity, surface loss and gingivitis when observed at inclusion. Treatment-related predictors were bleaching concentration and contact between tray and gingiva. Conclusions...

Beneficial Effect of Educational and Nutritional Intervention on the Nutritional Status and Compliance of Gastric Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Randomized Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Feng-Lan; Wang, Yong-Qian; Peng, Li-Fen; Lin, Fang-Yu; He, Yu-Long; Jiang, Zhuo-Qin

2017-07-01

Surgery combined with chemotherapy is the standard treatment for gastric cancer (GC); however, chemotherapy-relative adverse effects are common and result in malnutrition and a poor prognosis. In addition, compliance to postoperative chemotherapy remains a problem. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the effect of educational and nutritional interventions on the nutritional status and compliance of GC patients undergoing postoperative chemotherapy. A total of 144 GC patients were randomized into an intervention group that received intensive individualized nutritional and educational interventions during the entire course of chemotherapy and control group that received basic nutrition care and health education during hospitalization. The nutritional status and compliance between the two groups were compared. The interventions significantly improved calorie and iron intake within 24 h after the first chemotherapy session, and improved patients' weight, hemoglobin, total serum protein, and albumin levels during the entire course of chemotherapy. The compliance rate with chemotherapy was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (73.61% vs. 55.56%, P = 0.024). A combination of nutritional and educational interventions provided beneficial effect on the nutrition status and compliance of gastric patients undergoing postoperative chemotherapy, which is worthy of clinical application.

The Effect of a Standardized Ginger Extract on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea-Related Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Moderately or Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy: A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Marx, Wolfgang; McCarthy, Alexandra L; Ried, Karin; McKavanagh, Dan; Vitetta, Luis; Sali, Avni; Lohning, Anna; Isenring, Elisabeth

2017-08-12

Ginger supplementation could be an effective adjuvant treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea (CIN). The aim of this clinical trial was to address significant methodological limitations in previous trials. Patients (N = 51) were randomly allocated to receive either 1.2 g of standardised ginger extract or placebo per day, in addition to standard anti-emetic therapy, during the first three cycles of chemotherapy. The primary outcome was CIN-related quality of life (QoL) measured with the Functional Living Index- Emesis (FLIE) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included acute and delayed nausea, vomiting, and retching as well as cancer-related fatigue, nutritional status, and CIN and vomiting-specific prognostic factors. Over three consecutive chemotherapy cycles, nausea was more prevalent than vomiting (47% vs. 12%). In chemotherapy Cycle 1, intervention participants reported significantly better QoL related to CIN ( p = 0.029), chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)-related QoL ( p = 0.043), global QoL ( p = 0.015) and less fatigue ( p = 0.006) than placebo participants. There were no significant results in Cycle 2. In Cycle 3, global QoL ( p = 0.040) and fatigue ( p = 0.013) were significantly better in the intervention group compared to placebo. This trial suggests adjuvant ginger supplementation is associated with better chemotherapy-induced nausea-related quality of life and less cancer-related fatigue, with no difference in adverse effects compared to placebo.

Side effects of sugammadex use in pediatric patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinem Sarı

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: It is accepted that sugammadex show its effectsmore rapidly than the other neuromuscular block antagonistsin many studies, however especially in pediatriccases, it is seen that about its reliability and side effectsare limited in some studies. In our retrospective study,we aimed to present our experiences on sugammadexin terms of its side effects in the pediatric cases in ourhospital for a 1-year period.Methods: The patient files and intraoperative anesthesiarecords, postoperative 24th hour and after postoperative24th hour of the cases that underwent the application ofsugammadex under general anesthesia in pediatric surgeryoperating room in a 1-year period were analyzed.Results: Totally 46 patients received sugammadex; infants(28 days-23 months (n=24, children (2 years-11years (n=16 and adolescent (11-17 years (n=6. Noneof the patients showed hypersensitivity and statisticallysignificant side effects correlated to sugammadex.Conclusion: We think that sugammadex may open newdoors in pediatric patient group with its features. However,more documentation is needed about the safety inpediatric patient group, particularly in infants. J Clin ExpInvest 2013; 4 (3: 265-268Key words: Sugammadex, pediatric patient, side effect

Effect of adjuvant chemotherapy in postmenopausal patients with invasive ductal versus lobular breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Truin, W; Voogd, A C; Vreugdenhil, G; van der Heiden-van der Loo, M; Siesling, S; Roumen, R M

2012-11-01

On the basis of the lack of response of invasive lobular breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we questioned the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy in relation to histology. Women with primary nonmetastatic invasive ductal or (mixed type) lobular breast cancer, aged 50-70 years, diagnosed between 1995 and 2008, were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and followed until January 1, 2010. The patients were divided in two groups: one group receiving adjuvant hormonal therapy only and the other receiving adjuvant hormonal therapy in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy. In total, 19,609 patients had ductal cancer and 3685 had lobular cancer. The 10-year overall survival rate in ductal cancer when treated with hormonal therapy alone was 69%, compared with 74% with the combination therapy (P lobular cancer, 10-year survival rates were 68% after hormonal treatment alone and 66% after the combination therapy (P = 0.45). The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality in ductal cancer after combination therapy was 0.70 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64-0.76; P lobular cancer was 1.00 (95% CI 0.82-1.21; P = 0.97). Adjuvant chemotherapy seems to confer no additional beneficial effects in postmenopausal patients with pure or mixed type lobular breast cancer receiving hormonal therapy.

CHECKPOINT INHIBITOR IMMUNE THERAPY: Systemic Indications and Ophthalmic Side Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalvin, Lauren A; Shields, Carol L; Orloff, Marlana; Sato, Takami; Shields, Jerry A

2018-06-01

To review immune checkpoint inhibitor indications and ophthalmic side effects. A literature review was performed using a PubMed search for publications between 1990 and 2017. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are designed to treat system malignancies by targeting one of three ligands, leading to T-cell activation for attack against malignant cells. These ligands (and targeted drug) include cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4, ipilimumab), programmed death protein 1 (PD-1, pembrolizumab, nivolumab), and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1, atezolizumab, avelumab, durvalumab). These medications upregulate the immune system and cause autoimmune-like side effects. Ophthalmic side effects most frequently manifest as uveitis (1%) and dry eye (1-24%). Other side effects include myasthenia gravis (n = 19 reports), inflammatory orbitopathy (n = 11), keratitis (n = 3), cranial nerve palsy (n = 3), optic neuropathy (n = 2), serous retinal detachment (n = 2), extraocular muscle myopathy (n = 1), atypical chorioretinal lesions (n = 1), immune retinopathy (n = 1), and neuroretinitis (n = 1). Most inflammatory side effects are managed with topical or periocular corticosteroids, but advanced cases require systemic corticosteroids and cessation of checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Checkpoint inhibitors enhance the immune system by releasing inhibition on T cells, with risk of autoimmune-like side effects. Ophthalmologists should include immune-related adverse events in their differential when examining cancer patients with new ocular symptoms.

Image-guided conformation arc therapy for prostate cancer: Early side effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soete, Guy; Verellen, Dirk; Michielsen, Dirk; Rappe, Bernard; Keuppen, Frans; Storme, Guy

2006-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate early side effects in prostate cancer patients treated with image-guided conformation arc therapy (IGCAT) using a minimultileaf collimator and daily X-ray-assisted patient positioning. Methods and Materials: Between May 2000 and November 2004, 238 cT1-T3N0M0 tumors were treated with doses of 70 or 78 Gy. Seventy patients also received neoadjuvant or concurrent hormonal treatment. Median follow-up is 18 months (range, 4-55 months). Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer toxicity scoring system was used to evaluate early side effects. Results: Grade 1, 2, and >2 acute side effects occurred in 19, 6, and 0% (gastrointestinal) and 37, 16, and 0% (genitourinary) of the patients. No relation between radiation dose and early side effects was observed. Conclusion: Patients treated with image-guided conformation arc therapy experience a low rate of Grade 2 (i.e., requiring medication) early side effects. The definitive evaluation of late side effects and biochemical control requires further follow-up

Genome-wide pharmacogenomic study of citalopram-induced side effects in STAR*D.

Science.gov (United States)

Adkins, D E; Clark, S L; Åberg, K; Hettema, J M; Bukszár, J; McClay, J L; Souza, R P; van den Oord, E J C G

2012-07-03

Affecting about 1 in 12 Americans annually, depression is a leading cause of the global disease burden. While a range of effective antidepressants are now available, failure and relapse rates remain substantial, with intolerable side effect burden the most commonly cited reason for discontinuation. Thus, understanding individual differences in susceptibility to antidepressant therapy side effects will be essential to optimize depression treatment. Here we perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genetic variation influencing susceptibility to citalopram-induced side effects. The analysis sample consisted of 1762 depression patients, successfully genotyped for 421K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR(*)D) study. Outcomes included five indicators of citalopram side effects: general side effect burden, overall tolerability, sexual side effects, dizziness and vision/hearing side effects. Two SNPs met our genome-wide significance criterion (qeffects of citalopram on vision/hearing side effects (P=3.27 × 10(-8), q=0.026). The second genome-wide significant finding, representing a haplotype spanning ∼30 kb and eight genotyped SNPs in a gene desert on chromosome 13, was associated with general side effect burden (P=3.22 × 10(-7), q=0.096). Suggestive findings were also found for SNPs at LAMA1, AOX2P, EGFLAM, FHIT and RTP2. Although our findings require replication and functional validation, this study demonstrates the potential of GWAS to discover genes and pathways that potentially mediate adverse effects of antidepressant medications.

The potential usefulness of the Response Index in positron emission tomography assessing the therapeutic effect of pre-operative chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Nomura, Masatoshi; Takahashi, Hidekazu; Haraguchi, Naotsugu; Nishimura, Junichi; Hata, Taishi; Matsuda, Chu; Ikenaga, Masakazu; Yamamoto, Hirofumi; Murata, Kohei; Doki, Yuichiro; Mori, Masaki; Mizushima, Tsunekazu

2017-12-01

Pre-operative chemotherapy is an option for patients with local advanced rectal cancer, but the response rate to pre-operative chemotherapy with oxaliplatin is still low. If the therapeutic effect of pre-operative chemotherapy could be assessed, we may be able to convert to surgery early. The purpose of the present study was to validate the correlation between the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ) in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) of the primary tumor and the therapeutic effect of pre-operative chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer. Retrospective cohort study from January 2011 to October 2015. We examined 28 patients with pathologically confirmed sigmoid or rectal cancer that underwent pre-operative chemotherapy and surgery. The correlation between Response Index (RI), calculated as (SUV max after chemotherapy)/(SUV max before chemotherapy), and the therapeutic effect on the primary tumor in advanced colorectal cancer. The degree of differentiation (p = 0.04), SUV max in the primary tumor after chemotherapy (p = 0.02), and RI (p = 0.008) were significant predictors of the therapeutic effect in univariate analysis. The areas under the ROC curve constructed with RI and therapeutic effect was 0.77. The optimal cut-off values for the RI in the responder group was effect of chemotherapy on advanced colorectal cancer. Thus, RI is potentially useful for predicting the therapeutic effect in advanced colorectal cancer.

Telomerase inhibition effectively targets mouse and human AML stem cells and delays relapse following chemotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruedigam, Claudia; Bagger, Frederik Otzen; Heidel, Florian H.

2014-01-01

(-/-) LSCs express a specific gene expression signature that can be identified in human AML patient cohorts and is positively correlated with patient survival following chemotherapy. In xenografts of primary human AML, genetic or pharmacological inhibition of telomerase targets LSCs, impairs leukemia...... progression, and delays relapse following chemotherapy. Altogether, these results establish telomerase inhibition as an effective strategy for eliminating AML LSCs....

Side effects after diagnostic lumbar puncture and lumbar iohexol myelography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sand, T.; Stovner, L.J.; Salvesen, R.; Dale, L.

1987-01-01

A prospective, controlled study was performed to compare side effect incidences after lumbar iohexol myelography (n=97) and diagnostic lumbar puncture (n=85). No significant side effect incidence differences (iohexol vs. controls) were found regarding number of patients with any side effect (63 vs. 73%), headache (44 vs. 54%), nausea, dizziness, visual, auditory, or psychic symptoms. Early-onset headache occurred significantly more often in the iohexol group (16 vs 5%), while postural headache occurred most frequently after lumbar puncture (25 vs. 41%). These results suggest that apart from the slight early-onset headache, most side effets after lumbar iohexol myelography are related to the puncture per se, not to the contrast agent. (orig.)

Atenolol versus pindolol: side-effects in hypertension.

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Foerster, E C; Greminger, P; Siegenthaler, W; Vetter, H; Vetter, W

1985-01-01

This randomized crossover out-patient study was designed to compare the antihypertensive effects of atenolol and pindolol. After a wash-out period of two weeks in pretreated cases, 107 patients with essential hypertension were given either atenolol 100 mg once-daily or pindolol 20 mg slow release (SR) once-daily. Both atenolol and pindolol lowered blood pressure over the 24 week period. The diastolic blood pressure reduction was significantly greater (p less than 0.01) with atenolol than with pindolol. Before beta-blocker therapy, many patients had already experienced side-effects such as fatigue, sleep disturbances and dreams. This probably relates to the high sensitivity of the analogue scale used to assess side-effects, and to the high incidence of such symptoms in untreated patients. As the study progressed there was a reduction in the frequency of fatigue (p less than 0.03) and dreams (p less than 0.05) in both groups, whereas sleep disturbances significantly increased under pindolol (p less than 0.05) but decreased under atenolol (p less than 0.05). The only important side-effect difference between the two beta-blockers was the higher incidence of sleep disturbances with pindolol which may be due to the higher lipophilicity of this beta-blocker.

Worsening of rest-activity circadian rhythm and quality of life in female breast cancer patients along progression of chemotherapy cycles.

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Sultan, Armiya; Choudhary, Vivek; Parganiha, Arti

2017-01-01

Chemotherapy and its associated side effects can induce the disruption of circadian rest-activity rhythm and may have negative consequences on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of cancer patients. In the current study, repeated-measures cross-sectional design was implemented to determine the status of circadian rest-activity rhythm and to assess the HRQoL of newly diagnosed female breast cancer patients those were planned to receive six cycles of chemotherapy. Rest activity and HRQoL were assessed in twenty-five patients during chemotherapy cycles 1st (C1), 3rd (C3), and 6th (C6) immediately after they reported to the outdoor ward of the Regional Cancer Center, Pt. J.N.M. Medical College, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Raipur, India. Wrist actigraphs for consecutive spans of 3-4 days were used to record the rest-activity rhythm, and its parameters were computed with the help of Cosinor Rhythmometry. Quality of life (QoL) parameters were assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23. Results revealed that average scores of all rhythm parameters, such as MESOR, amplitude, acrophase, rhythm quotient, circadian quotient, peak activity, dichotomy index, and autocorrelation coefficient; and all functional scales of QLQ-C30, such as physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social, and global quality of life statistically significantly decreased with the increasing number of chemotherapy cycles (C1 to C3 and C6). Scores of symptom scales of QLQ-C30, such as fatigue, pain, dyspnoea, insomnia, appetite loss, and diarrhea increased significantly from C1 to C6. Among the QLQ-BR23 scales, scores of sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment, breast symptoms, and arm symptoms significantly decreased, whereas scores of systemic therapy side effects, and upset by hair loss significantly increased across the chemotherapy cycles. We conclude that rest-activity rhythm disrupted and HRQoL of breast cancer patients worsened along the increasing number of chemotherapy cycles. We

Quality of life, compliance, safety and effectiveness in fit older metastatic colorectal patients with cancer treated in first-line with chemotherapy plus cetuximab: A restrospective analysis from the ObservEr study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosati, Gerardo; Pinto, Carmine; Di Fabio, Francesca; Chiara, Silvana; Lolli, Ivan R; Ruggeri, Enzo M; Ciuffreda, Libero; Ferrara, Raimondo; Antonuzzo, Lorenzo; Adua, Daniela; Racca, Patrizia; Bilancia, Domenico; Benincasa, Elena; Stroppolo, Maria Elena; Di Costanzo, Francesco

2018-05-01

The influence of age (<70 years and ≥70 years) was retrospectively studied on the quality of life (QoL), incidence of side effects (including skin reactions) and efficacy of chemotherapy plus cetuximab in patients with KRAS wild type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). 225 patients of the Observed study (PS 0-1) were retrieved based on age (< 70 and ≥70 years) and evaluated through EORTC QLQ-C30 and DLQI questionnaires. The two patient groups (141 < 70 and 84 ≥ 70 years, respectively) were balanced with no differences in any of the clinical and pathological characteristics considered. Both groups underwent similar type of first-line chemotherapy plus cetuximab, treatment duration and compliance. Cetuximab therapy caused similar incidence of side effects and impact on QoL in older and younger patients. No difference was observed in progression free survival (PFS) and in disease control rates between the two patient populations. Median overall survival (OS) was higher in patients <70 (27 months, 95% CI: 22.7-31.27) than in patients ≥70 (19 months, 95% CI: 14.65-23.35) (p = 0.002), which is likely due to higher proportions of metastatic resection (27.0% vs 8.3%; p = 0.001) and utilization of second-line therapy in younger group (58.9% vs 42.9%; p = 0.028). The current data suggest that fit older patients with mCRC can be safely treated with a cetuximab-based therapy, as QoL and safety profile do not seem to be affected by age. In addition, age did not impact the choice of chemotherapy to be associated to cetuximab and treatment compliance. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A unified frame of predicting side effects of drugs by using linear neighborhood similarity.

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Zhang, Wen; Yue, Xiang; Liu, Feng; Chen, Yanlin; Tu, Shikui; Zhang, Xining

2017-12-14

Drug side effects are one of main concerns in the drug discovery, which gains wide attentions. Investigating drug side effects is of great importance, and the computational prediction can help to guide wet experiments. As far as we known, a great number of computational methods have been proposed for the side effect predictions. The assumption that similar drugs may induce same side effects is usually employed for modeling, and how to calculate the drug-drug similarity is critical in the side effect predictions. In this paper, we present a novel measure of drug-drug similarity named "linear neighborhood similarity", which is calculated in a drug feature space by exploring linear neighborhood relationship. Then, we transfer the similarity from the feature space into the side effect space, and predict drug side effects by propagating known side effect information through a similarity-based graph. Under a unified frame based on the linear neighborhood similarity, we propose method "LNSM" and its extension "LNSM-SMI" to predict side effects of new drugs, and propose the method "LNSM-MSE" to predict unobserved side effect of approved drugs. We evaluate the performances of LNSM and LNSM-SMI in predicting side effects of new drugs, and evaluate the performances of LNSM-MSE in predicting missing side effects of approved drugs. The results demonstrate that the linear neighborhood similarity can improve the performances of side effect prediction, and the linear neighborhood similarity-based methods can outperform existing side effect prediction methods. More importantly, the proposed methods can predict side effects of new drugs as well as unobserved side effects of approved drugs under a unified frame.

Pharmacogenomic study of side-effects for antidepressant treatment options in STAR*D.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, S L; Adkins, D E; Aberg, K; Hettema, J M; McClay, J L; Souza, R P; van den Oord, E J C G

2012-06-01

Understanding individual differences in susceptibility to antidepressant therapy side-effects is essential to optimize the treatment of depression. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to search for genetic variation affecting the susceptibility to side-effects. The analysis sample consisted of 1439 depression patients, successfully genotyped for 421K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study. Outcomes included four indicators of side-effects: general side-effect burden, sexual side-effects, dizziness and vision/hearing-related side-effects. Our criterion for genome-wide significance was a prespecified threshold ensuring that, on average, only 10% of the significant findings are false discoveries. Thirty-four SNPs satisfied this criterion. The top finding indicated that 10 SNPs in SACM1L mediated the effects of bupropion on sexual side-effects (p = 4.98 × 10(-7), q = 0.023). Suggestive findings were also found for SNPs in MAGI2, DTWD1, WDFY4 and CHL1. Although our findings require replication and functional validation, this study demonstrates the potential of GWAS to discover genes and pathways that could mediate adverse effects of antidepressant medication.

In vivo synergistic cytogenetic effects of aminophylline on lymphocyte cultures from patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mylonaki, Effie; Manika, Katerina; Zarogoulidis, Paul; Domvri, Kalliopi; Voutsas, Vasilis; Zarogoulidis, Kostas; Mourelatos, Dionysios

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► SCEs in vivo, a possible predictor of tumor chemoresponse. ► In vivo exposure to combined treatment, applying the SCE assay. ► Aminophylline enhances DNA instability induced by chemotherapy in vivo. ► In vivo synergistic effect of Aminophylline with the chemotherapeutic agents. - Abstract: Background: The anti-cancer and cytogenetic effects of aminophylline (AM) have been demonstrated in several clinical trials. The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo cytogenetic effects of AM in newly diagnosed patients with small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), receiving chemotherapy for the first time. Methods: Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and proliferation rate index (PRI) were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures from six patients with SCLC and six patients with NSCLC after the in vitro addition of AM and after the in vivo administration of AM in patients receiving chemotherapy. Results: The in vitro addition of AM significantly increased SCEs only in SCLC patients (p 0.05). Conclusions: These observations suggest that AM enhances the results of concurrently administered chemotherapy by synergistically increasing its cytogenetic effects in patients with lung cancer

Effectivity of intravescical thermo-chemotherapy prophylaxis for patients with high recurrence and progression risk for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Gözen, Ali Serdar; Umari, Paolo; Scheitlin, Walter; Su, Fuat Ernis; Akin, Yigit; Rassweiler, Jens

2017-06-30

Background&Aim: High grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is common in urological practice. Most of these cancers are or become refractory to intravesical immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Here we evaluated the efficacy of combined local bladder hyperthermia and intravesical mitomycin-C (MMC) instillation in patients with high-risk recurrent NMIBC. Between February 2014 and December 2015, 18 patients with high risk NMIBC were enrolled. Patients were treated in an outpatient basis with 6 weekly induction sessions followed by monthly maintenance sessions with intravesical MMC in local hyperthermia with bladder wall thermo-chemotherapy (BWT) system (PelvixTT system, Elmedical Ltd., Hod Hasharon, Israel). The follow-up regimen included cystoscopy after the induction cycle and thereafter with regular intervals. Time to disease recurrence was defined as time from the first intravesical treatment to endoscopic or histological documentation of a new bladder tumour. Adverse events were recorded according to CTC 4.0 (Common Toxicity Criteria) score system. Mean age was 72 (32-87) years. 10 patients had multifocal disease, 9 had CIS, 6 had recurrent disease and 2 had highly recurrent disease (> 3 recurrences in a 24 months period). 6 patients underwent previous intravesical chemotherapy with MMC. The average number of maintenance sessions per patient was 7.6. After a mean follow-up of 433 days, 15 patients (83.3%) were recurrence-free. 3 patients had tumour recurrence after a mean period of 248 days without progression. Side effects were limited to grade 1 in 2 patients and grade 2 in 1 patient. BWT seems to be feasible and safe in high grade NMIBC. More studies are needed to identify the subgroup of patients who may benefit more from this treatment.

Investigating the effect of therapeutic touch on the intensity of acute chemotherapy-induced vomiting in breast cancer women under chemotherapy.

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Matourypour, Pegah; Vanaki, Zohreh; Zare, Zahra; Mehrzad, Valiolah; Dehghan, Mojtaba; Ranjbaran, Mehdi

2016-01-01

Nausea and vomiting are the worst and the most prevalent complications experienced by 70-80% of patients. Complementary treatments including therapeutic touch are cost-effective and low-risk, independent nursing interventions. Present research aims at investigating the effect of therapeutic touch on the intensity of acute chemotherapy-induced vomiting in these patients. As a single-blind, randomized clinical trial, the present research was carried out on women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy in Isfahan, Iran. The subjects were divided into three groups of control, placebo, and intervention. The intervention was applied to each patient once for 20 min on the aura (human energy field) focusing on solar chakra. Data gathering instruments included demographic questionnaire and acute vomiting intensity scale. There was a significant difference among the three groups (and also after the intervention) (P touch was effective in reducing vomiting in the intervention group. However, the patients experienced lower-intensity vomiting which may be because of presence of a therapist and probably the reduced anxiety related to an additional intervention. So, further research is recommended considering the placebo group and employing another person in addition to the therapist, who is not skilled for this technique.

Weak circadian rhythm increases neutropenia risk among breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wentao; Kwok, Carol Chi-Hei; Chan, Dominic Chun-Wan; Wang, Feng; Tse, Lap Ah

2018-04-01

Severe neutropenia is a common dose-limiting side effect of adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy. We aimed to test the hypothesis that weak circadian rhythm is associated with an increased risk of neutropenia using a cohort study. We consecutively recruited 193 breast cancer patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel; doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide; docetaxel and cyclophosphamide). Participants wore a wrist actigraph continuously for 168 h at the beginning of chemotherapy. Values of percent rhythm and double amplitude below medians represented weak circadian rhythm. Mesor measured the mean activity level and acrophase symboled the peak time of the rhythm. We used Cox proportional hazard regression model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of grade 4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia in relation to actigraphy-derived parameters. Low levels of percent rhythm (HR:2.59, 95% CI 1.50-4.72), double amplitude (HR:2.70, 95% CI 1.51-4.85), and mesor (HR: 2.48, 95% CI 1.44-4.29) were positively associated with the risk of grade 4 neutropenia during chemotherapy. Low levels of percent rhythm (HR: 2.41, 95% CI 1.02-5.69) and double amplitude (HR:2.49, 95% CI 1.05-5.90) were also associated with increased risks of febrile neutropenia. The HRs for acrophase were not statistically significant. This study provides the first epidemiological evidence that increased risks of grade 4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia are associated with weak circadian rhythm among adjuvant breast cancer patients. The results suggest that circadian rhythm might be one potential target for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia among cancer patients.

Clostridium difficile Colitis and Neutropenic Fever Associated with Docetaxel Chemotherapy in a Patient with Advanced Extramammary Paget’s Disease

OpenAIRE

Nonomura, Yumi; Otsuka, Atsushi; Endo, Yuichiro; Fujisawa, Akihiro; Tanioka, Miki; Kabashima, Kenji; Miyachi, Yoshiki

2012-01-01

Extramammary Paget's disease is a rare cutaneous malignant neoplasm. Previous studies indicated the efficacy of docetaxel in advanced cases. The common side effects of docetaxel are usually tolerable and seldom life-threatening. We experienced a case of severe pseudomembranous colitis and neutropenic fever that developed just after the first cycle of docetaxel chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, there are few reports of pseudomembranous colitis associated with docetaxel administration...

Neglected Side Effects After Radical Prostatectomy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frey, Anders Ullmann; Sønksen, Jens; Fode, Mikkel

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: A series of previously neglected sexually related side effects to radical prostatectomy (RP) has been identified over the recent years. These include orgasm-associated incontinence (OAI), urinary incontinence in relation to sexual stimulation (UISS), altered perception of orgasm, or...

Exercise and chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathis, Katlynn M; Sturgeon, Kathleen M; Winkels, Renate M; Wiskemann, Joachim; Williams, Nancy I; Schmitz, Kathryn

2018-07-01

Chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) is the temporary or permanent loss of menses experienced by premenopausal women undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Two possible mechanisms through which chemotherapy induces CIA have been identified: systemic endothelial dysfunction, resulting in decreased blood flow to the ovaries, and increased oxidative stress within the ovaries, both of which are proposed to lead to apoptosis of follicles. Endothelial dysfunction in ovarian arteries in women undergoing or who have undergone chemotherapy treatment is characterized by prothrombotic changes and thickening of the vascular wall. These changes result in occlusion of the blood vessels. Oxidative stress is increased and antioxidants decreased in the ovaries secondary to chemotherapy drugs, specifically cyclophosphamide. It is hypothesized that low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise during chemotherapy may prevent these changes and lessen the risk for developing CIA in premenopausal women. Low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to improve endothelial function and blood flow in patients with cardiovascular disease-a disease state characterized by endothelial dysfunction and for which patients who have undergone chemotherapy are at increased risk. In mice, moderate intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease the amount of oxidative stress within the ovaries, and in humans, chronic aerobic exercise has been shown to increase antioxidant production systemically. This hypothesis should be tested in both a mouse model, using sedentary and exercising mice treated with chemotherapy drugs that commonly result in CIA, as well as a human model to determine the effects of low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise on ovarian function in premenopausal women undergoing chemotherapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Side effects of curative radiotherapy of the prostatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziegler, F.; Metzger, H.; Huebener, K.H.; Kurtz, B.

1984-01-01

The side effects of primary percutaneous radiotherapy in 100 patients with prostatic cancer were evaluated and classified into different degrees of gravity. It was shown that especially chronic side effects are benign in most of all cases. Severe - but not vitally dangerous - complications in bladder and intestine are rare (3%); their percentage corresponds roughly to the average mortality rate of surgical intervention (radical prostatectomy). Contrary to operation, troubles of the sexual function appear only in one third of the patients. Taking into consideration the similar therapeutic results of intervention and radiotherapy, radiotherapy is more favorable with respect to side effects. This essential aspects should be considered when making a decision whether to apply a surgical or radiotherapeutic treatment. (orig.) [de

n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation during cancer chemotherapy

OpenAIRE

Morland, Sarah Louise; Martins, Karen J.B.; Mazurak, Vera C.

2016-01-01

Evidence from several clinical trials suggests that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation during cancer chemotherapy improves patient outcomes related to chemotherapy tolerability, regardless of the type of chemotherapy used. While the effects of n-3 PUFA supplementation during chemotherapy have been the subject of several reviews, the mechanisms by which n-3 PUFA improve patient responses through improved chemotherapy tolerability are unclear. There are several barriers c...

Synergistic effects of oncolytic reovirus and docetaxel chemotherapy in prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prestwich Robin

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Reovirus type 3 Dearing (T3D has demonstrated oncolytic activity in vitro, in in vivo murine models and in early clinical trials. However the true potential of oncolytic viruses may only be realized fully in combination with other modalities such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and radiotherapy. In this study, we examine the oncolytic activity of reovirus T3D and chemotherapeutic agents against human prostate cancer cell lines, with particular focus on the highly metastatic cell line PC3 and the chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel. Docetaxel is the standard of care for metastatic prostate cancer and acts by disrupting the normal process of microtubule assembly and disassembly. Reoviruses have been shown to associate with microtubules and may require this association for efficient viral replication. Methods The effects of reovirus and chemotherapy on in vitro cytotoxicity were investigated in PC3 and Du 145 cells and the interactions between agents were assessed by combination index analysis. An Annexin V/propidium iodide fluorescence-activated cell sorting-based assay was used to determine mode of cell death. The effects of reovirus and docetaxel administered as single agent or combination therapy were tested in vivo in a murine model. The effects of docetaxel and reovirus, alone and together, on microtubule stabilisation were investigated by Western blot analysis. Results Variable degrees of synergistic cytotoxicity were observed in PC3 and Du 145 cells exposed to live reovirus and several chemotherapy agents. Combination of reovirus infection with docetaxel exposure led to increased late apoptotic/necrotic cell populations. Reovirus/docetaxel combined therapy led to reduced tumour growth and increased survival in a PC3 tumour bearing mouse model. Microtubule stabilization was enhanced in PC3 cells treated with reovirus/docetaxel combined therapy compared to other reovirus/chemotherapy combinations. Conclusions The co

Management of chemotherapy-induced adverse effects in the treatment of colorectal cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansman, FGA; Sleijfer, DT; de Graaf, JC; Coenen, JLLM; Brouwers, JRBJ

2001-01-01

The anticancer agents fluorouracil, raltitrexed, irinotecan and oxaliplatin show limited efficacy in the treatment of colorectal cancer and may be associated with substantial toxicity. Therefore, the prevention and reduction of chemotherapy-induced adverse effects is of major significance, in

Sequential transurethral surgery, multiple drug chemotherapy and radiation therapy for invasive bladder carcinoma: Initial report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervek, J.; Cufer, T.; Kragelj, B.; Zakotnik, B.; Stanonik, M.

1993-01-01

Forty-seven patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (T2--T4, Nx, MO) were treated by transurethral resection, followed by 3--4 cycles of combination chemotherapy (methothrexate 30 mg/m2 on days 1, 14; cis-platinum 100 mg/m2 on day 2; vinblastine 3 mg/m2 on days 1, 14; repeated every 21 days), and external beam irradiation (64--66 Gy to the bladder and 40 Gy to the pelvic lymphatics). Complete remission after transurethral resection and chemotherapy was achieved in 24 out of 45 patients (53%). Cystectomy was performed in patients without complete response to transurethral resection and chemotherapy. The therapy was completed as planned in 45/47 patients. After transurethral resection, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, biopsy proven complete response was achieved in 62% (28/45); Stage T2T3 in 67% (23/24), Stage T4 in 45% (5/11) of patients. Among 19 patients with positive biopsy findings after transurethral resection and chemotherapy, 14 underwent cystectomy. After follow-up of 4--55 months (median 23 months) 75% (34/45) are alive, 68% (31/45) have had their bladders preserved, and 53% (24/45) are free of the primary tumor. The actuarial survival of all 45 patients is 73%. Moderate nausea and vomiting during treatment were common; severe leukopenia and mucositis were observed in five patients. Late side effects such as miction disorders and diarrhea were predominantly mild. Although the observation period has been too short to allow a definitive evaluation of treatment results, the authors feel both from the point of bladder preservation and disease-free survival that the presented treatment approach is successful in a majority of T2T3 patients, whereas a large tumor size (T4) renders this treatment less effective. 17 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs

Side effects of oral antibiotics in small children with cystic fibrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Karin Riisager; Bregnballe, Vibeke

2014-01-01

or/and stomach pain during antibiotic treatment. 48% reported their child to be eating little during antibiotic treatment and of these 87% were reporting diarrhoea or/and stomach pain. Half of the children with diarrhoea or/and stomach pain got treatment for the side effects. Conclusion: Most...... of the small children with CF suffered from side effect of antibiotics, but only half of them got treatment for the side effects....

Quality of life of Brazilian and Spanish cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: an integrative literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawada, Namie Okino; Nicolussi, Adriana Cristina; de Paula, Juliana Maria; Garcia-Caro, Maria Paz; Marti-Garcia, Celia; Cruz-Quintana, Francisco

2016-01-01

characterize the scientific production of Brazil and Spain in regard to methodological aspects and aspects of health-related quality of life experienced by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in both countries. integrative literature review was conducted using the following databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and CUIDEN and the electronic libraries PubMed and SciELO, conducted in September 2013. a total of 28 papers met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis of knowledge was presented in three categories of analysis: assessment of quality of life in different types of cancer; sociodemographic factors that influenced quality of life; and type of cancer and interventions that improve quality of life. Chemotherapy affects health-related quality of life and the most important factors were: age, sex, chemotherapy protocol, type of surgery, stage of the disease, educational level, and emotional intelligence. Complementary therapies such as acupuncture, guided visualization, prayers and exercise were positive and reduced side effects. the results showed a poor level of evidence, since 86% of the studies were cross-sectional descriptive studies; the instrument most frequently used to measure health-related quality of life was EORTC QLQ C-30 and more studies were conducted in Brazil than in Spain.

Combination chemotherapy with Regorafenib in metastatic colorectal cancer treatment: A single center, retrospective study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Yu Lin

Full Text Available Regorafenib has been demonstrated as effective in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Combination use with chemotherapy has not been reported. We examined the efficacy and safety of adding chemotherapy to Regorafenib for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC patients.We recruited mCRC patients at our institute who received either regorafenib monotherapy or regorafenib in combination with other chemotherapies. All patients had received chemo and target therapies and presented with disease progression before regorafenib treatment. The primary end point was overall survival.Between September1, 2015 and May 31, 2017, 100 mCRC patients at our institute received regorafenib treatment. 39 patients were excluded due to poor performance, lack of timely treatment, or inadequate clinical data. A total of 34 patients received regorafenib combined with other chemotherapies, and 27 patients received regorafenib alone. Median follow up time was 10.4 and 6.1 months, respectively. The primary end point of median OS was higher in the combination group than in the single use group (20.9m vs 10.3m, p = 0.015. The most frequent adverse events were hand-foot skin reactions(16[47.1%]vs 12[44.4%], fatigue(6[17.6%] vs 7[25.9%], gastrointestinal discomfort (7[20.6%] vs 6[22.2%], neutropenia (4[11.8%] vs 1[3.7%], diarrhea(4[11.8%] vs 1[3.7%], and mucositis(5[14.7%] vs 1[3.7%].The present study showed the efficacy and side effects of regorafenib combination treatment. Superiority in median OS and median PFS was noted in the combination group. The sampling difference between the study and observation groups effects justifies the comparison. Further clinical evidence of combination therapy efficacy is pending future studies.