Chemotherapy side effects in pediatric oncology patients: Drugs, age, and sex as risk factors

Abstract

Nausea, vomiting, and the extent to which chemotherapy-bothered children were assessed by patient and parent ratings for 31 children (65 courses) receiving combination chemotherapy with either high-dose cyclophosphamide or doxorubicin/daunorubicin. Patients and parents both reported more severe vomiting with cyclophosphamide than with the anthracyclines. The use of antiemetics did not affect emesis for the former drug; for the anthracyclines, there was more severe emesis for courses with antiemetics than for those with none. Adolescents reported more severe nausea than children, and females reported both more nausea and bother than males. There were no significant age or sex findings for parent reports. The findings suggest that chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in children is a complex phenomenon not accounted for by drugs alone.

Effect of Hydroxyzine in Controlling Acute Chemotherapy-Induced Vomiting in Children: A Randomised Trial

“…There was no statistical difference between the groups according to sex and age distribution (p> 0.05). The mean duration of treatment in 70 courses was 2±1.5 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) days. The duration of courses were three days or longer in 8 (22%) and 9 (26.5%) in group I and group II, respectively (p> 0.05).…”

“…First is pharmacologically induced component which varies according to intrinsic Emotional factors not only initiate anticipatory emesis but also amplify post-chemotherapy emesis. 2,4,5,[14][15][16][17] Psychological factors induce emesis through higher cortical centers input which conducted directly into "central pattern generator" formerly named as vomiting center. Chemotherapeutics induce emetic reflex by causing release neuroactive agents such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) from enterochromaffin cells of gastrointestinal tract.…”

“…Anxiety and distress can powerfully amplify chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, even initiate emesis. 2,4,[15][16][17] Psychological component of nausea and vomiting is highly resistant to antiemetic drugs. Some psychological intervention which control emotional factors may reduce emesis.…”

Rhabdomyosarcoma and Other Pediatric Temporal Bone Malignancies

“…The toxicity and side effects of chemotherapy in children depend on the particular drugs in use, but mucositis, anemia, nausea, alopecia, and neutropenic fever are common. 20 Children receiving chemotherapy often require emotional and nutritional support, which specialized pediatric cancer centers may be particularly adept at providing.…”

Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy: drug management in theory and in practice

“…2 Characteristics associated with a higher risk include female sex, age greater than 3 years, anxiety, motion sickness, and poor control with previous chemotherapy. Treatment related risk factors include the emetic potential, schedule, dose, route, and rate of drug administration.…”