The impact of chemotherapy-related nausea on patients' nutritional status, psychological distress and quality of life

• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-012-1493-9
• Publication Date: 2012-05-18T15:49:37Z
• Authors: Carole Farrell; Sarah G. Brearley; Mark Pilling; Alex Molassiotis
• Keywords: Quality of life; Adult; Male; 610; Nutritional Status; Antineoplastic Agents; Anxiety; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Neoplasms; Activities of Daily Living; Chemotherapy; Humans; Anthracyclines; Prospective Studies; Nutrition; Aged; 2. Zero hunger; Depression; Nausea; Middle Aged; United Kingdom; 3. Good health; Quality of Life; Female; Physical functioning; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: Nausea is a troublesome and distressing symptom for patients receiving chemotherapy. While vomiting is well controlled with current antiemetics, nausea is a more difficult symptom to manage. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of nausea on nutritional status, quality of life and psychological distress. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study over two cycles of chemotherapy. Patients completed the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Antiemesis Tool, a measure of nutritional status (Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) quality of life scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at the end of each chemotherapy cycle (around day 10 post-chemotherapy). RESULTS: The sample consisted of 104 patients, primarily female, receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy. While vomiting was minimal (5.2-14.6 % of the patients), high levels of nausea were observed (55.2-72.9 %), and severe nausea (>6 on a 0-10 scale) was reported by 20.5-29.2 % of the participants. Severe nausea had a borderline significant impact in relation to physical functioning (p = 0.025) and a significant impact on nutritional status (severe acute nausea, p = 0.003; severe delayed nausea, p = 0.017). Clinically meaningful changes were observed in relation to the FACT-G total score. CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy-induced nausea does have an impact on nutritional status and physical functioning and can impair anxiety and quality of life. As a key symptom associated with other symptoms, it is imperative that greater attention is given to managing treatment-related nausea through innovative non-pharmacological and nutritional interventions.