Hypnosis in the treatment of anticipatory nausea and vomiting in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
In addition to nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy treatment, cancer patients can experience these side effects prior to a treatment session, the so-called anticipatory nausea and vomiting. As various psychological and neurophysiological aspects have been claimed to be implied in its etiopathogenesis, the present paper aims to shortly review the etiological, epidemiological and therapeutical assumptions on the topic, in particular the psychological-behavioral therapies.


METHODS
The present study was carried out on 16 consecutive adult cancer patients affected by chemotherapy-induced anticipatory nausea and vomiting who had received at least four treatment cycles. All of them were submitted to induction of relaxation followed by hypnosis.


RESULTS
In all subjects anticipatory nausea and vomiting disappeared, and major responses to chemotherapy-induced emesis control were recorded in almost all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The experience highlights the potential value of hypnosis in the management of anticipatory nausea and vomiting; furthermore, the susceptibility to anticipatory nausea and vomiting is discussed under the psychoanalytic point of view.
Marchioro
G
G
Department of Oncology, Local Health Unit No. 13, Noale, Italy.
Azzarello
G
G
Viviani
F
F
Barbato
F
F
Pavanetto
M
M
Rosetti
F
F
Pappagallo
G L
GL
Vinante
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014840:Vomiting, Anticipatory / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*