[Adjuvant chemotherapy with mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil in breast neoplasms: therapeutic life].
The chemotherapy side-effects are insufficiently documented while they strongly condition patients' quality of life. The aim of the study was to assess by means of a self-administered questionnaire the somatic symptoms experienced by breast cancer patients during their NCF (mitoxantrone + cyclophosphamide + 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy and to demonstrate the interest of this self-report by comparing the frequency of side-effects assessed by the patients to that noted by the physicians in medical records. The study was carried out among 44 patients receiving their chemotherapy + radiotherapy at the Paoli-Calmettes Institute (marseille) between July 1994 and May 1995. The questionnaire comprized of 17 symptoms evaluated in terms of frequency, duration/severity and distress. The most frequent symptoms are: hair loss and nausea (75%), hot flush (57%), lack of appetite and headache (46%) associated with distress in 67 to 100% of cases. Their frequency was underestimated by the physicians in medical records. This study showed a large discordance patient-physician in the assessment of chemotherapy side-effects. The type of tool presented in this study could complement the usual scales of toxicity that do not provide an estimation of true patients' experience.
Genre
D
D
Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France.
Macquart-Moulin
G
G
Bouscary
M L
ML
Viens
P
P
Cowen
D
D
Packer y Comyn
I
I
Moatti
J P
JP
Maraninchi
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D005472:Fluorouracil