[Predictive factors of nausea/vomiting of breast cancer patients receiving FEC and AC chemotherapy].

INTRODUCTION

It is largely believed that nausea/vomiting during cancer chemotherapy is caused by both the medical and personal factors of the patient. This study was aimed at examining whether the monitoring of risk factors prior to the therapy would help predict nausea/vomiting.

METHOD: In the fifteen months between April 2006 and June 2007, breast cancer patients, receiving FEC and AC chemotherapy at the Outpatient Chemotherapy Room, were interviewed. Before they received their first treatment, each patient was asked to reply as to five risk factors: age, history of motion sickness, habitual drinking, history of morning sickness, and anxiety. Three weeks later, when they came back for their second treatment, CTCAE was conducted to assess their symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Fisher's exact probability test was used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

49 patients were studied. The relative risk ratios of vomiting were as follows: Age 1.57; motion sickness 2.15; habitual drinking 0.97; morning sickness 1.54; and anxiety 3.15. Only anxiety showed a significant difference(p=0.019). The associated risk ratios of nausea were: age 2.00; motion sickness 1.57; habitual drinking 1.04; morning sickness 1.37; and high levels of anxiety 2.28. Only anxiety showed a significant difference(p=0.018). The number of risk factors did not show a significant difference.

CONCLUSION

The study shows that anxiety may be one of the risk factors that would cause severe nausea or vomiting during cancer chemotherapy.