Effectiveness and safety of modern treatment against nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15
Author(s):  
Łukasz Hajac ◽  
Martyna Hajac ◽  
Adam Maciejczyk
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Serotonin Syndrome ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Treatment Changes ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Methods Of Treatment

Nausea and vomiting are one of most frequent side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Effective prevention and treatment of these symptoms is essential for better quality of life for patients undergoing oncological therapies. Nausea and vomiting can be acute, delayed or anticipatory. Leading mechanisms and methods of treatment are different for each of those. Most often used groups of drugs are: 5-HT3-antagonists, glucocorticosteroids, NK1-antagonists. Another important group are neuroleptics, which are therapy of choice for anticipatory vomiting. Modern antiemetic medications are in most cases safe and effective. But as every treatment it causes risks of adverse events which may be serious and difficult to manage. It applies in particular to long-acting drugs. Most common side effects are headache, constipation and sedation. But more severe or life-threatening symptoms may appear, like intestinal obstruction and serotonin syndrome. Some of the drugs also come with risk of interacting with other treatment. Changes in pharmacokinetics may lead to additional toxicities. In elderly, especially with cardiac disease, in risk of ileus or cachexia these drugs shall be used with caution.

Proton Pump Inhibitors in 2021: Pros, Cons, and Everything in Between

2021 ◽  
pp. 263451612110217
Author(s):  
Joshua A. Sloan ◽  
Philip O. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Proton Pump Inhibitors ◽  
Proton Pump ◽  
Drug Class ◽  
Life Threatening

The medical and lay literature has exploded with reports of adverse events associated with proton pump inhibitors over the last 10 to 15 years. The dissemination of these reports to patients and clinicians have created substantial concerns regarding what has been an exceptionally valuable drug class, dramatically improving patient quality of life, and in many cases preventing life threatening side effects of other medication. Patients are more frequently seeking to avoid these medications, and practitioners are reducing or discontinuing them to the patient’s detriment due to a misunderstanding of the data. This review will discuss the data regarding the most commonly publicized adverse events and attempt to put them in perspective.

Elucidating the Potential Side Effects of Current Anti- Seizure Drugs for Epilepsy

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enes Akyüz ◽  
Mohd. Farooq Shaikh ◽  
Betül Köklü ◽  
Cansu Ozenen ◽  
Alina Arulsamy
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
First Line ◽  
Epileptic Patients ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Visual Problems ◽  
Gaba Transmission

: Over the decades, various interventions have been developed and utilized to treat epilepsy. However, majority of epileptic patients are often first prescribed with anti-epileptic drugs (AED), now known as anti-seizure drugs (ASD), as a first line of defense to suppress their seizures and regain their quality of life. ASDs exert their anti-convulsant effects through various mechanisms of action including regulation of ion channels, blocking of glutamate-mediated stimulating neurotransmitter interaction, and enhancing the inhibitory GABA transmission. About one third of epileptic patients are often resistant to anti-convulsant drugs, while others develop numerous side effects which may lead to treatment discontinuation and further deterioration of quality of life. Common side effects of ASDs include headache, nausea and dizziness. However, more adverse effects such as auditory and visual problems, skin problems, liver dysfunction, pancreatitis and kidney disorders may also be witnessed. Some ASDs may even result in life-threatening conditions as well as serious abnormalities, especially in patients with comorbidities and in pregnant women. Nevertheless, some clinicians had observed a reduction in the development of side effects post individualized ASD treatment. This suggest that a careful and well-informed ASD recommendation to patients may be crucial for an effective and side-effect free control of their seizures. Therefore, this review aimed to elucidate the anticonvulsant effects of ASDs as well as their side effect profile, by discussing their mechanism of action and reported adverse effects based on clinical and preclinical studies, thereby providing clinicians with a greater understanding of the safety of current ASDs.

scholarly journals Electrochemotherapy in Breast Cancer - Discussion of the Method and Literature Review

Breast Care ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 409-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateusz Wichtowski ◽  
Dawid Murawa ◽  
Katarzyna Kulcenty ◽  
Karolina Zaleska
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Locoregional Treatment ◽  
Electric Pulses ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Late Stages ◽  
Methods Of Treatment ◽  
Cause Of Pain

Breast cancer is the most common cause of skin metastases in women. The probability of their occurrence ranges from about 5% in the entire population to as much as 30% in the late stages of the disease. Although rarely life-threatening, they have a major impact on the quality of life of patients with this diagnosis, being the cause of pain, effusion, ulceration, infection, and psychological discomfort. Available methods of treatment, both local and systemic, often fail to provide adequate control of the disease. A particular challenge seems to be the treatment of those patients with cutaneous metastases who, due to the extent of their metastases, are not eligible for resection, in whom the possibility of radiation therapy has already been used, and in whom systemic therapy is ineffective or contraindicated. A new method providing the opportunity for effective treatment is electrochemotherapy (ECT). ECT combines electropulsation of tumor cells (by local application of electric pulses) and administration of antineoplastic drugs such as cisplatin or bleomycin (either intravenous or intratumoral). Several clinical studies have demonstrated that ECT provides safe, efficient, and non-invasive locoregional treatment for chest wall breast cancer recurrence.

scholarly journals Do pharmacists counsel customers about the effects of sedating antihistamines on driving skills? A survey of community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 2018-2025
Author(s):  
Hani MJ Khojah
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Driving Skills ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Mystery Shoppers

Objective To investigate the level of counselling regarding the effects of sedating antihistamines on driving skills provided by private community pharmacies in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methods This study randomly selected private community pharmacies. Mystery shoppers following a similar scenario individually visited these pharmacies. These clients asked for a commonly used brand of sedating antihistamine and noted the counselling offered by the pharmacist. If spontaneous counselling was not offered, necessary information regarding the medication’s use was requested. Finally, the content of counselling was documented. Results Of the 100 pharmacies selected, 12 were excluded for various reasons and 88 pharmacies were included in the study. Only 23 pharmacies offered spontaneous counselling. Although 73.9% of pharmacists (65 of 88), spontaneously or upon request, mentioned sedation as a side-effect, only one pharmacist warned the client against driving after taking the medication, and three other pharmacists warned against dealing with hazardous machinery. Other side-effects were almost ignored. Conclusion A life-threatening insufficiency in the quality of counselling at Saudi Arabian private community pharmacies exists. Traffic accidents, secondary to the side-effects of sedating antihistamines, may be avoided if proper counselling is offered. Saudi Arabian authorities should take appropriate actions to ensure optimal practice in community pharmacies.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Fosaprepitant in Combination with 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonist and Dexamethasone in Management of Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-47
Author(s):  
Guru Sharan Sah ◽  
Ashok Sapkota ◽  
Amog Dwadi ◽  
Sagar Tiwari ◽  
Yogesh Regmi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Chemotherapy Regimen ◽  
Complete Response ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
The Common ◽  
Chemotherapy Patients ◽  
Triplet Regimen

Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is one of the common side effects of cancer chemotherapy, that affects patient’s physical and psychological aspects, decreasing patients quality of life and compliance with therapy. CINV can be acute, delayed or anticipatory. This study assessed effectiveness of fosaprepitant (NK-1 receptor antagonist) in combination with 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist (5-HT3 RA) plus dexamethasone in prevention and management of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving broad range of chemotherapy regimens. Materials and methods: The current study is prospective study conducted on randomly selected 72 patients during first and second cycle of standard chemotherapeutic regimens. During 144 cycles of chemotherapy patients were randomly assigned in two different anti emetic regimen; triplet regimen (aprepitant, 5-HT3 RA, dexamethasone) and duplet regimen (5-HT3 RA, dexamethasone). All the patients were interviewed using MASCC antiemesis tool (MAT) for incidence of nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting was assessed for 5 days following 1st day of each chemotherapy cycle. Results: During the period of study, duplet regimen was administered in 68 cycles and triplet regimen was administered in 76 cycles of chemotherapy. Most of the chemotherapy regimen were platinum based compounds (61%). In duplet regimen 76.6 % (52/68) and 72.1% (49/68) patients had acute and delayed vomiting respectively whereas in triplet regimen 7.9% (6/76) and 5.3% (4/76) patients had acute and delayed vomiting respectively. Complete response in triplet regimen were achieved in 89 % of chemotherapy cycles which were significantly low in duplet regimen 10 % only. Conclusions: This study concludes that addition of fosaprepitant in combination with 5-HT3 RA and dexamethasone prevents CIMV in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

scholarly journals Assessment and Management of Cardiotoxicity in Hematologic Malignancies

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Anca Bojan ◽  
Tunde Torok-Vistai ◽  
Andrada Parvu
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Proteasome Inhibitors ◽  
Myocardial Damage ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Life Threatening

With the increasing overall survival of cancer patients due to recent discoveries in oncology, the incidence of side effects is also rising, and along with secondary malignancies, cardiotoxicity is one of the most concerning side effects, affecting the quality of life of cancer survivors. There are two types of cardiotoxicity associated with chemotherapy; the first one is acute, life-threatening but, fortunately, in most of the cases, reversible; and the second one is with late onset and mostly irreversible. The most studied drugs associated with cardiotoxicity are anthracyclines, but many new agents have demonstrated unexpected cardiotoxic effect, including those currently used in multiple myeloma treatment (proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents), tyrosine kinase inhibitors used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and some forms of acute leukemia, and immune checkpoint inhibitors recently introduced in treatment of refractory lymphoma patients. To prevent irreversible myocardial damage, early recognition of cardiac toxicity is mandatory. Traditional methods like echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging are capable of detecting structural and functional changings, but unable to detect early myocardial damage; therefore, more sensible biomarkers like troponins and natriuretic peptides have to be introduced into the current practice. Baseline assessment of patients allows the identification of those with high risk for cardiotoxicity, while monitoring during and after treatment is important for early detection of cardiotoxicity and prompt intervention.

scholarly journals The Emesis Trial: Depressive Patients with Brain Tumors are more Affected by Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Dufner ◽  
Almuth Friederike Keßler ◽  
Larissa Just ◽  
Peter Hau ◽  
Elisabeth Bumes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Brain Tumors ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Tumor Treatment ◽  
Delayed Nausea ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Eortc Qlq ◽  
Loss Of Appetite

Abstract Purpose: Patients with malignant brain tumors face a limited life expectancy and at the same time, they suffer from afflicting symptoms and undesired effects of tumor treatment. Apart from bone marrow suppression, standard chemotherapy with temozolomide causes nausea, emesis and loss of appetite. In this pilot study, we investigated how chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) affects the patients’ levels of depression and their quality of life. Methods: In this prospective observational multicentre study (n = 87), nausea, emesis and loss of appetite were evaluated with an expanded MASCC questionnaire, covering ten days during the first and the second cycle of chemotherapy. Quality of life was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and BN 20 questionnaire and levels of depression with the PHQ-9 inventory before and after the first and second cycle of chemotherapy. Results: CINV affected a minor part of patients. If present, it reached its maximum at day 3 and decreased to baseline level not before day 8. Levels of depression increased significantly after the first cycle of chemotherapy, but decreased during the further course of treatment. Patients with higher levels of depression were more severely affected by CINV and showed a lower quality of life through all time-points. Conclusion: We conclude that symptoms of depression should be perceived in advance and treated in order to avoid more severe side effects of tumor treatment. Additionally, in affected patients, delayed nausea was most prominent, pointing towards an activation of the NK1 receptor. We conclude that long acting antiemetics are necessary to treat temozolomide-induced nausea.

Remission of Symptoms of Chemotherapy-Refractory Metastatic Insulinoma using Octreotide

1988 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Longnecker
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Serum Insulin ◽  
Hepatic Disease ◽  
Serum Electrolytes ◽  
Computed Tomography Scans ◽  
Gastrointestinal Complaints ◽  
Long Acting

The symptoms resulting from the hyperinsulinemia of severe refractory metastatic insulinoma were palliated using self-administered divided doses of a long-acting minisomatostatin analog, octreotide. The substance was well tolerated and the attributable side effects were minimal (primarily gastrointestinal complaints). There were significant improvements in peripheral edema, ascites, and serum electrolytes throughout therapy. Serum insulin and glucagon levels were largely unchanged. Computed tomography scans performed during therapy showed stabilization of pancreatic and hepatic disease. Severe, recurrent hypoglycemic episodes due to hyperinsulinemia were reduced both in number and severity for almost a three-month period. This allowed the elimination or reduction of other chronic, supportive medications and improved quality of life.

scholarly journals The Chinese herb Xiaoaiping protects against breast cancer chemotherapy-induced alopecia and other side effects: a randomized controlled trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 2607-2614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fujie Yu ◽  
Yuanmei Li ◽  
Jiaqun Zou ◽  
Lisha Jiang ◽  
Chun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Chinese Herb ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Wbc Count

Objective To investigate the effects of the Chinese herbal medicine Xiaoaiping to treat chemotherapy-induced side effects in breast cancer patients. Methods Ninety-three adult patients who attended our hospital and met the entry criteria from January 2016 to December 2017 were included. Patients were randomly divided into the control group (routine chemotherapy only) and the combined group (routine chemotherapy and Xiaoaiping). Demographic data and clinical variables were collected, and side effects including alopecia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, white blood cell (WBC) count, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and the quality of life were evaluated. Results Basic clinical characteristics were not different between the groups. There were significantly fewer patients with alopecia grade 3–4, but significantly more patients with alopecia grade 1–2, in the combined group compared with the control group. Disease-free time for alopecia was longer in the combined compared with the control group. Overall, the side effects were significantly more serious in the control compared with the combined group. Patients in the combined group had better quality of life than the control patients. Conclusion Xiaoaiping can improve alopecia, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea symptoms, WBC count, AST levels, and the quality of life in breast cancer patients.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone in the prevention of cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting.

1983 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 635-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Colbert ◽  
V Izrael ◽  
J P Lotz ◽  
D Stoppa-Lyonnet ◽  
J M Vannetzel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Double Blind Trial ◽  
Effective Agent ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Blind Trial ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
To Receive

A double-blind trial to evaluate the antiemetic effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in patients treated with cisplatin was performed. Thirty-seven adults with advanced cancer who were treated with cisplatin were randomly assigned to receive either synthetic long-acting ACTH (1 mg IM given 24 hours, 12 hours, and immediately preceding the administration of cisplatin) or a placebo given under the same conditions. All of the patients received chlorpromazine (50 mg IM) 30 minutes before cisplatin infusion. Patients receiving ACTH and chlorpromazine had significantly fewer episodes of vomiting (p less than 0.01) and shorter periods of nausea (p less than 0.02) than patients receiving placebo and chlorpromazine. Patients receiving ACTH and chlorpromazine were significantly more comfortable than patients receiving placebo and chlorpromazine. No important side effects were observed. ACTH may be an effective agent in preventing nausea and vomiting induced by cisplatin.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document