Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Dec 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial[Effect of concurrent use of ondansetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone against nausea and vomiting in lung cancer patients receiving cisplatin].
We examined the efficacy of concurrent use of ondansetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone, and the effective dose of dexamethasone against nausea and vomiting in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy including single high dose cisplatin. The study was carried out on total of 44 courses of chemotherapy in either initial onset or recurrence of lung cancer. The patients were given 4 mg of ondansetron injection on the day of cisplatin injection (Day 1), and 4 mg/day of ondansetron tablet for Days 2 to 4. ⋯ However, control of emesis was unfavorable in female patients on Day 1 and was still unfavorable even though dexamethasone was combined from Day 2. We considered from the above results that 10 mg/day of concurrent dexamethasone is sufficient in suppression of delayed emesis on Day 2. However, in order to improve nausea or food intake, or to suppress emesis in patients who are highly likely to show unfavorable control for Day 2 and onward, 20 mg/day should also be effective.
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In 1997, home care was provided for thirty-seven terminally ill cancer patients, fifteen patients with gastric cancer, nine patients with colorectal cancer, four patients with breast cancer, and nine patients with other miscellaneous cancer. The shortest period of home care was three days, the longest was six hundred seventeen days, and the average was one hundred eight days. ⋯ As of May 31, 1998, 3 patients were alive but 34 patients had died, 31 of them at home. The characteristic trends in this year were reinforcement of the home care system in our hospital, prolongation of mean at-home days, inhalation of nebulized morphine for management of dyspnea, restriction of indication of home infusion therapy and active cooperation with public health center and welfare office.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Dec 1998
[The problems of nursing and medical expenses in end-stage home therapy].
Recently, many end-stage patients and their families desire home care in their last days, because Japanese tend to think "quality of life" is the most important thing in their life. Home therapy for end-stage patients has become popular with the support of the government. The cooperation between medical staff and patients has overcome many problems derived from this new therapy system. ⋯ Although the medical expenses for home therapy are greater than for hospital treatment under the Japanese medical insurance system, the nursing fees for the person who looks after the patient are not considered enough. A heavy burden, not only by the nursing but also by their own occupation, has been imposed upon the nursing person. Differences in the expenses between home therapy and hospital treatment, and also the situation of the nursing person in the home therapy are reported in this paper.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Oct 1998
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial[Late phase II clinical study of RP56976 (docetaxel) in patients with advanced/recurrent gastric cancer: a Japanese Cooperative Study Group trial (group A)].
A late phase II clinical study of RP56976 (docetaxel) was conducted in patients with advanced/recurrent gastric cancer as a multicenter cooperative trial. Docetaxel was administered intravenously at a dose of 60 mg/m2 every 3-4 weeks. Of the 76 patients enrolled, 66 patients were eligible and 59 patients were evaluable for response. ⋯ About hematological toxicity, severe (Grade 3 or more) leukopenia was observed in 36 patients (56.3%) and neutropenia in 52 patients (81.3%). Other major toxicity (Grade 3 or more) included nausea/vomiting in 11 patients (17.2%), anorexia in 9 patients (14.1%), fatigue in 5 patients (7.8%), and alopecia in 7 patients (10.9%), all which were tolerable. The results show that docetaxel is an effective anticancer agent for advanced/recurrent gastric cancer.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Oct 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial[Comparison of antiemetic efficacy of granisetron as premedication versus combination therapy of granisetron].
In this study we compared two methods of granisetron administration. One method was via a drip infusion with 100 ml of normal saline 30 minutes prior to administration of CDDP (Group A). The other method was direct injection of granisetron into the CDDP containing bottle (Group B). ⋯ Moreover, there was no evidence of toxicity due to granisetron. The overall response rate of granisetron to nausea was 84.4%. We conclude that granisetron is an effective drug as an antiemetic, and the direct injection of granisetron into the CDDP containing bottle has the same effect when compared to the normal method of administration, together with an equivalent safety profile.