Nausea, vomiting and quality of life of patients with cancer undergoing antineoplastic treatment: An evaluation by pharmacists

Abstract

Objective This study aims to evaluate the frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting using two different instruments and relate them to quality of life (QOL) in patients with cancer receiving antineoplastic treatment. Methods Severity of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) was measured by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and a numerical scale. QOL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General questionnaire. Key findings Of the 50 patients studied, 60.0% reported nausea (40.0% CTCAE grade 1; 66.7% moderate intensity on numerical scale) and 30.0% reported vomiting (46.7% CTCAE grades 1 and 2, each; 66.7% moderate intensity on numerical scale). CINV did not influence overall QOL. Conclusion The frequency of CINV was high. There was no association between nausea/vomiting and overall QOL.