• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8089-8093
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• 2014

Background: To assess the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal adverse effects in advanced colorectal carcinoma patients treated with four different schedules of FOLFOX. Materials and Methods: Patients (median age 61 years) who underwent surgery were included in the study. All had measureable disease at CT scan, ultrasonography or clinical examination. Toxicity was graded on a scale of 1-5 according to the general grade definition of CTC v2.0. The severity of adverse effects (Grade 3 and 4) assessed in each treatment arm was compared. Results: Differences between the incidence rates of 3 and 4 toxicity and all grades of toxicity for all parameters in GI toxicity were very highly significant (p<0.001). Severe gastrointestinal symptoms of toxicity were noted with FOLFOX7 (oxaliplatin $130mg/m^2$). Grade 3 diarrhea was reported in 25% patients and grade 4 diarrhea in 4% in the FOLFOX7 treatment arm. Grade 2 vomiting was very frequently reported in the FOLFOX4 treatment arm (oxaliplatin $85mg/m^2$). Grade 2 stomatitis was reported in 42% patients treated with mFOLFOX6 (oxaliplatin $100mg/m^2$). Differences in the incidence rate of nausea, diarrhea and stomatitis among all treatment arms of FOLFOX were significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: Severe diarrhea is associated with FOLFOX7 treatment. No grade 3 or 4 GI toxicity was reported in patients of the mFOLFOX6 arm.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2016

Objective : The purpose of this study is to report the possibility of treatment of Cancer of Unknown Primary Site (CUPS) patient with Traditional Korean Medicine based Samchilchoongcho-jung and Gunchilgyebok-Jung following chemotherapy. Methods : The patient is a female, who was diagnosed with CUPS, suffering from left flank pain, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting and fatigue after chemotherapy. The patient was treated with acupuncture, pharmacoacupuncture, moxibution, herbal medicine and enema used with herbal decoction for 15 days. The clinical outcomes were measured by numeric rating scale(NRS). Results : After treatment, left flank pain had disappeared and nausea and vomiting was decreased from NRS 4 to NRS 1 respectively. Fatigue was also improved. Conclusion : This case study suggests that Traditional Korean Medicine is effective for treatment of CUPS patients and can improve the quality of life.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2020

Background: Catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) has been observed in many patients undergoing a urethral catheterization. CRBD may be so severe that the patients require additional analgesics. Muscarinic receptors are involved in the mechanism of CRBD. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of the antimuscarinic properties of atropine, which is frequently used in current practice on CRBD, by comparing it with sugammadex which has no antimuscarinic effects. Methods: Sixty patients selected for transurethral resection due to bladder tumors were randomized into 2 groups: an atropine group and a sugammadex group, with no antimuscarinic effect. The patients were given rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) as a neuromuscular-blocker. In addition to the frequency and severity of CRBD postoperatively at 0, 1, 6, 12, and 24 hours, postoperative numeric rating scale (NRS) scores, and postoperative nausea and vomiting were examined. Results: The incidence of CRBD was significantly lower in the atropine group in all postoperative measurements. The score was found to be significantly lower in the atropine group when NRS measurements were performed at all time periods (P < 0.01). There was no difference between the groups in terms of nausea and vomiting (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Atropine is a cheap, easy-to-access, safe-to-use drug for reducing CRBD symptoms, without any observed adverse effects. Since it not only reduces CRBD symptoms but also has a positive effect on postoperative pain, it can be used safely to increase patient comfort in patients receiving general anesthesia and a urinary catheter.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.735-738
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• 2013

Eosinophilic meningitis, caused by the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is prevalent in northeastern Thailand, most commonly in adults. Data regarding clinical manifestations of this condition in children is limited and may be different those in adults. A chart review was done on 19 eosinophilic meningitis patients aged less than 15 years in Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Clinical manifestations and outcomes were reported using descriptive statistics. All patients had presented with severe headache. Most patients were males, had fever, nausea or vomiting, stiffness of the neck, and a history of snail ingestion. Six patients had papilledema or cranial nerve palsies. It was shown that the clinical manifestations of eosinophilic meningitis due to A. cantonensis in children are different from those in adult patients. Fever, nausea, vomiting, hepatomegaly, neck stiffness, and cranial nerve palsies were all more common in children than in adults.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 1997

Background : This study was designed to evaluate the continuous effects of single intravenous injection of antiemetics on nausea and vomiting during continuous morphine injection for postoperative pain control. Methods : Prior to the study, we divided patients into two major groups according to the type of surgery performed intra-abdominal(Open: O) and non intra-abdominal(Close: C). When patients regained orientation after routine general anesthesia, enflurane-$O_2-N_2O$, we injected bolus dose of morphine and started continuous injection of morphine for postoperative pain control(Group I; Control). After bolus injection and just before continuous injection, we injected single dose of droperidol(Group II) or ondansetron(Group III). Mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, pain score and symptom-therapy score were checked at 10 minutes, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36 hours after continuous morphine injection. Results : The pain score of group III was lower than group II(10 min.) and group I(24, 36 hours) in the open group. Symptom-therapy score of group III(10 min., 4, 24 hours) and group II(10 min.) were lower than group I in the open group. In the close group, symptom-therapy score of group III(8 hours) was lower than group I. Conclusions : Single intravenous injection of antiemetics have a tendency of lowering symptom-therapy score for 36 hours in spite of their relatively short elimination half-life.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2000

Background: For terminal cancer pain management, controlled-release oral morphine (morphine sulfate tablet, MST) is a simple and convenient regimen. Recently, fentanyl transdermal therapeutic system (F-TTS, transdermal fentanyl) has been developed and became one of the alternative ways of providing adequate pain relief. This open prospective study was designed to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of MST and transdermal fentanyl in the management of terminal cancer pain. Methods: In this open comparative and randomized study, 64 terminal cancer patients received one treatment for 15 days, controlled-release oral morphine (MST group) or fentanyl transdermal therapeutic system (F-TTS group). Daily diaries about the vital sign, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, opioids requirement, co-anagesics, adjuvant drugs and adverse effects were completed with 24 patients in MST group, 18 patients in F-TTS group. Results: The majority of patients in both treatment groups were late-stage cancer and their distribution was not different in both groups. Daily opioids requirement was 126.4 mg in MST uced in F-TTS group (P<0.05). The incidence of nausea, vomiting and constipation was lower in F-TTS group (P<0.05). Patients satisfaction was similar, but F-TTS patient group favored continous use of same treatment compared with MST group after the study was finished. Conclusions: Transdermal fentanyl seems to be safe and similar analgesic effect to controlled-release oral morphine for the control of the terminal cancer patients. However, transdermal fentanyl provides a simpler and more convenient especially in respect to constipation, nausea & vomiting. To determine the exact analgesic effect, cost-effectiveness and complications, controlled trials should be followed.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.57-68
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• 2004

The contrast medium is very commonly used in more than 90% of computed tomography(CT) scans. It is difficult to predict the occurrence of adverse reactions and the degree of adverse reactions are diverse from mild urticaria, itching, nausea, vomiting to even cardiopulmonary arrest. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the symptoms, occurrence rate and risk factors of the adverse reactions in patients after contrast injection during CT examinations. Two hundreds sixty-five patients showed symptoms of adverse reactions out of 71,117 adult patients who received intravenous contrast administration during CT scans from January 2003 to December 2003 at a general hospital. Data was collected by reviewing adverse reaction records and electronic medical record. The results of this study were as follows; 1. Adverse reactions occurred in 265 out of a total of 71,117 patients(0.37%). Clinical symptoms of adverse reactions were most commonly dermatologic problems such as urticaria(69.81%) and itching(63.02%), followed by dyspnea(14.34%), dizziness(11.70%), nausea(6.79%), and vomiting(7.17%). 2. Anaphylactoid reactions occurred in 47 out of a total of 265 patients, and their pattern of symptoms were most commonly related to cardiovascular system(90.91%), followed by respiratory system(82.22%), gastrointestinal system(51.72%), and dermatologic system(16.51%). Eleven patients were transferred to emergency room for further treatment and two patients needed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 3. The adverse reactions were significantly more common in women than in men(0.46% vs.0.32%, p=.003) and in type D contrast medium than the others(p<.001). The occurrence rate of adverse reactions was not significantly different according to the age and infusion speed of the contrast medium.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.64-67
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• 2016

We report on a 64-year-old man with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) from an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated adenocarcinoma of the lung. He was treated with paclitaxel, cisplatin. After completion of chemotherapy, he complained of headache, nausea, and vomiting. EGFR-mutated tumor cells were identified from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Second-line therapy with gefitinib, methotrexate was started. After receiving gefitinib for 4 weeks, he had no more headaches or vomiting. Eleven months after initiation of gefitinib, he developed headache and nausea. Chest computed tomography showed aggravation of bone metastasis. Third-line therapy was started with gemcitabine and carboplatin. Two weeks later, he experienced disorientation. After a fourth relapse within the central nervous system, the therapy was switched to erlotinib and significant improvement of LM was achieved. This case shows that LM can be diagnosed by detecting EGFR mutation in CSF and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors are effective for LM from EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.91-95
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• 1998

Background: Quality of postoperative care may be improved by management of postoperative pain. Epidural anesthesia and analgesia have several advantages over general anesthesia and parenteral analgesics in managing the postoperative pain. We retrospectively reviewed records of obstetrical patients who underwent the cesarean sections under epidural anesthesia to evaluate perioperative analgesic use, side effects, and complications. Methods: All patients received epidural anesthesia consisting of 0.25% bupivacaine, 2% lidocaine and 100 ${\mu}g$ fentanyl, followed by epidural analgesia with 0.1% bupivacaine and 12.5 ${\mu}g$/ml fentanyl at rate of 2 ml/hr for 48 hours. Patients' records were reviewed for: medications administered for pain relief, incidence of nausea and vomiting and pruritus, and presence of respiratory or cardiovascular depression. Results: Over 18 months, 1,054 patients' records were reviewed. Average age was 27.8 years (18~43 years). 768 patients (72.9%) received no additional drugs for the pain relief. Intramuscular analgesics, ketoprofens, were one time administered to 247 patients (23.4%), 39 patients (3.7%) received two more dosages. The time of administration was $8.3{\pm}4.3$ hours postoperatively. Antiemetics, for example, low-dose droperidol, were administerd one time for 160 patients (15.2%), 5 patients (0.5%) received two or more administrations. The medication was administered $5.1{\pm}4.2$ hours postoperatively. Drugs for relief of pruritus, low-dose naloxone, were administered one time for 108 patients (10.2%), 10 patients (0.9%) received 2 or more dosages. The time of administration was $6.3{\pm}4.2$ hours postoperatively. None of the patients experienced cardiovascular nor respiratory (<8 breath/min) depression. Conclusions: Postoperative continuous epidural analgesia in combination with bupivacaine and fentanyl is an effective method of providing postoperative analgesia with low incidence of side effects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9627-9630
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• 2014

Background: Although efficacy of aprepitant for suppressing emesis associated with single-dose cisplatin has been demonstrated, there are limited data on the antiemetic effect of this oral neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist during daily administration of cisplatin. Accordingly, we investigated the efficacy and safety of aprepitant in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) receiving combination therapy with cisplatin and 5-FU (FP therapy). Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with HNC were prospectively studied who received a triple antiemetic regimen comprising granisetron ($40{\mu}g/kg$ on Days 1-4), dexamethasone (8 mg on Days 1-4), and aprepitant (125 mg on day 1 and 80mg on days 2-5) with FP therapy (cisplatin $20mg/m^2$ on days 1-4; 5-FU $400mg/m^2$ on days 1-5) (aprepitant group). We also retrospectively studied another 20 HNC patients who received the same regimen except for aprepitant (control group). Results: For efficacy endpoints based on nausea, the aprepitant group showed significantly better results, including a higher rate of complete response (no vomiting and no salvage therapy) for the acute phase (p=0.0342), although there was no marked difference between the two groups with regard to percentage of patients in whom vomiting was suppressed. There were no clinically relevant adverse reactions to aprepitant. Conclusions: This study suggested that a triple antiemetic regimen containing aprepitant is safe and effective for HNC patients receiving daily cisplatin therapy.