scholarly journals Influence of dexamethasone on appetite and body weight in lung cancer patients

2008 ◽  
Vol 61 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 571-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Sarcev ◽  
Nevena Secen ◽  
Ana Sabo ◽  
Djordje Povazan

Introduction Anorexia and cachexia are the most common symptoms in cancer patients. They increase morbidity and mortality among cancer patients as well as complications of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The most common drugs for treatment of cancer cachexia are corticosteroids and megestrol acetate. Material and Methods The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of dexamethasone on appetite loss and weight loss in lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Group A (30 patients) was treated with cisplatin, etoposide and standard supportive therapy, while group B (30 patients) received, in addition to this treatment, dexamethasone in the dose of 8 mg intravenously per day (1-3 day of chemotherapy). Results There was a statistically significant difference in appetite loss between two groups after the second chemotherapy cycle favoring group A. The analysis of weight loss showed a statistically significant difference between two groups after both chemotherapy cycles, once again in favor of group A. Concerning the improvement of appetite and weight gain, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups after both chemotherapy cycles. Discussion Many double-blind randomized controlled studies showed beneficial symptomatic effect of corticosteroids in cancer cachexia, especially on the improvement of appetite, food intake and performance status. In most of the studies the weight gain was not recorded. The most effective type of corticosteroids, dose and route of administration have not been established. Conclusion Dexamethasone significantly decreases appetite loss and weight loss in lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, while it has no influence on appetite improvement and weight gain.

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 1156-1162
Author(s):  
Yasunori Kaminuma ◽  
Masayuki Tanahashi ◽  
Eriko Suzuki ◽  
Naoko Yoshii ◽  
Hiroshi Niwa

Abstract Objectives Lung cancer patients have been reported to have a high incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and a high recurrence rate of VTE. However, there are no detailed reports of VTE in lung cancer patients who underwent surgery after induction therapy. We examined the incidence and clinical features of VTE in these patients. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 89 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent surgery after induction therapy at our department between April 2009 and March 2018. The incidence of VTE, clinical features, and long-term prognosis were retrospectively examined. Results Among the 89 patients, 4 (4.5%) developed VTE, and there was no significant difference in the background characteristics between patients with and without VTE. All four patients developed VTE during preoperative treatment. In the patients with VTE, anticoagulant therapy with oral anticoagulants was administered after heparinization, and the median duration of anticoagulant therapy was 18.7 months. There were no cases of symptomatic VTE recurrence after surgery, regardless of lung cancer recurrence. Although the overall survival (OS) showed no significant difference between patients with and without VTE, the disease-free survival was significantly shorter in patients with VTE than in those without it (median 6.3 vs. 71.6 months, p < 0.01). Conclusions In induction cases, the incidence of VTE was 4.5%, and it can at least be stated that no symptomatic VTE developed or recurred after surgery. Patients with VTE in induction therapy had short progression-free survival and required careful follow-up after surgery.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Sung Jung ◽  
Eun-Kee Park ◽  
Jun-Seok Cha ◽  
Jae-Won Lee ◽  
Jong-Chun Lee ◽  
...  

AbstractThe Asbestos Injury Relief Act in Korea requires that asbestos exposure be assessed through clinical examination and chest computed tomography (CT). However, a more specific measurement of asbestos characteristics in the lung tissue may be appropriate. We aimed to investigate the asbestos burden and characterize asbestos fibers in patients with lung cancer and ultimately assess the relationship between occupational and environmental asbestos exposure and lung cancer in Korea. We evaluated 37 lung cancer patients (LCPs) from Busan. The factors affecting asbestos burden in LCPs were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis. History of asbestos exposure (environmental/occupational), male sex, and old age were the main factors affecting asbestos burden in lung tissues of LCPs. These factors had an approximate 37% adjusted coefficient of determination. There was a significant difference in the length of asbestos fibers (4.06–37.6 µm vs. 4.26–91.7 µm) and aspect ratio (4.5–151.9 vs. 5.6–735.6) between those who were occupationally exposed to asbestos and those who were environmentally exposed (P < 0.01). Therefore, both environmental/occupational exposure to asbestos should be strongly managed to reduce the risk of lung cancer, and exposure should be assessed according to the characteristics of asbestos fibers in the lung tissue.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1501-1508
Author(s):  
Jennifer Le‐Rademacher ◽  
Camden Lopez ◽  
Eric Wolfe ◽  
Nathan R. Foster ◽  
Sumithra J. Mandrekar ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-175
Author(s):  
Md Harun Or Rashid ◽  
Quadrat E Elahi ◽  
Md Ashraful Alam ◽  
Fatima Sarker

Background: To compare the survival rate of paclitaxel plus cisplatin (PC arm), paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (PG arm) and gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC arm) in chemotherapy patients with non resectable lung cancer. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study to evaluate chemotherapy response among non resectable lung cancer patients with their survival at cancer center CMH, Dhaka since 01 July 2013 to 31 March 2015. One hundred fifty-four (154) non resectable lung cancer patients were randomly divided into three groups, 50 patients in PC arm, 51 patients in PG arm and 53 patients in GC arm. In PC arm paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 (day 1) with cisplatin 75mg/m2 (day 1), in PG arm Paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 (day 1) with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 (days 1 and 8) and in GC arm gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 (days 1 and 8) with cisplatin 100mg/m2 (day 1). Results: Patients characteristics were similar between the three groups. The overall response rate was 40% in the PC arm,43.1% in the PG arm, 43.4% in the GC arm. The median survival time in PC arm was 8.5 months, in PG arm was 8.8 months, in GC arm was 9.2 months. The major side effect was myelosuppression which accounts 71% patients. The average treatment costs were 57% and 30% lower in PC arm as compared with GC and PG arm respectively. Conclusion: The median survival time, disease free survival time and 1-year survival rate in PC, PG, GC arms without significant difference. Treatment were well tolerable; quality of life parameter was mostly similar but paclitaxel with cisplatin was most cost effective than others chemotherapy regimen. J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38(4): 172-175


Oncology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.J. Vlachostergios ◽  
I. Gioulbasanis ◽  
K. Kamposioras ◽  
P. Georgoulias ◽  
V.E. Baracos ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 148-148
Author(s):  
Xuan Zheng ◽  
Yi Hu ◽  
Junxun Ma ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Danyang Sun ◽  
...  

148 Background: PD-1 inhibitors have shown significant clinical activity in different cancer types. However, responses in pts with NSCLC are variable, and insights are needed to identify a predictive biomarker of response with greater diagnostic accuracy. Here we tested the hypothesis tha tserum TNF-a level is predictive of response to anti-PD-1 treatment. Methods: NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab were studied. Pts received nivolumab (3mg/kg, q2w) or pembrolizumab ( 2mg/kg, q3w). Pts on anti-PD1 were classified as either responders (R) deriving clinical benefit (with SD, PR, CR) or non-responders (NR) not deriving clinical benefit (PD) based on RECIST criteria.Serum was collected at baseline; at 2-3 weeks after the first dose (early stage); and at the time of response evaluation. Serum TNF-a levels were determined by Luminex kit. Changes in serum TNF-a levels and their strength of association with response were compared with Non-parametric Analysis. Results: Evaluable plasma samples were collected from twenty-one NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab. There was no significant difference in baseline serum TNF-a levels in responders (n = 15) vs non-responders (n = 6). Between baseline and early stage ,serum TNF-a levels significantly increased in responders (P = 0.010), while in non-responders, no significant change was found. High early change rate of serum TNF-a levels ( > 50%) was observed only in responders(n = 7).At early stage, responders had significantly higher serum TNF-a levels than non-responders(P = 0.008). We found no significant difference in serum TNF-a levels at the time of response evaluation. Conclusions: Early changes in serum TNF-a levels and high serum TNF-a levels at early stage in non-small cell lung cancer patients correlate to response to anti-PD-1 treatment.


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