Effects of Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Introduction: A descriptive, non-interventional study was conducted from April 2011 to September 2013, at KIRAN hospital, Karachi among n = 811 female breast cancer patients to assess the effects of chemotherapeutic agents that were employed for the treatment of breast cancer. The assessment was done so as to see the variation in response of the patients towards the drugs used specifically the adverse effects that have to be combated during therapy. Methodology: During 3-6 months, a follow up was done to collect data for ADEs (Adverse Drug Events) that occurred among patients after therapy. The SPSS version 16.0 was used for statistical analysis of the data. The adverse events that occurred due to adjuvant chemotherapy including severity, preventability and causality were evaluated using three International scales i.e. Modified Schumock and Thornton scale, modified Hartwig's and Siegal's scale and Naranjo's algorithm. Results and Discussion: Majority of the patients received 6 cycles of FAC therapy (5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin/doxorubicin, cyclophospha-mide) and showed good response. The assessment of ADRs using different scales revealed hair loss, nausea, vomiting, anemia and neutro-penia as the non-preventable definite effects that were experienced by the patients. Mild to moderate diarrhea/constipation was probably preventable and hence doubtful. Moderately probable effects included mucositis and mouth ulcers whereas possible effects included fever and chills. Conclusion: Through the right use of medicines, the mild effect of headache and pain could be certainly preventable. Hence chemotherapeu-tic agents must be chosen for each patient on individual basis to prevent or lessen the toxic effects rendered to them and be useful in the disease course.