Impact of group psychotherapy in chemotherapy induced vomiting for treatment of advanced breast and lungs cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of group psychotherapy in the management of the side effects of chemotherapy treatment in advanced breast and lung cancer.


METHODS
A randomized control study.


METHODS
This study was conducted in the department of Oncology, King Fahad Hospital, Madina Munawra, KSA, from January 2002 to June 2005.


METHODS
One hundred patients treated with chemotherapy for advanced stage (IIIB and IV) breast and lung cancer were selected with ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. All patients received anti-emetic medications half an hour before chemotherapy. All those patients in this category who completed fist line chemotherapy with 6 cycles were included. Fifty were subjected to group discussions with other patients, family members and medical staff. This was labeled group A. The other 50 were not included in group discussion and were labeled group B. Both the group received similar standard chemotherapy and pre-medication for vomiting as per their disease and chemotherapy schedule. Breast and lung cancer patients were 29 and 21 in each arm respectively. At the end of the discharge, grade 2 and above of vomiting, according to common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) was counted for all patients in both the arms A and B, over full length of treatment for 6 cycles, and then were compared statistically.


RESULTS
Mean with standard deviation for adverse event (vomiting) in group A and B was 6.2 + 2.6 and 13.4 + 3.8 respectively per cycle of treatment. It was observed that group psychotherapy had statistically significant effect (p-value < 0.05) on the management of vomiting.


CONCLUSIONS
Group psychotherapy can be used to reduce the incidence of vomiting in advanced breast and lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.
Parvez
Tariq
T
Department of Oncology, King Fahad Hospital, Madina Munawra, KSA. tariq_parvez52@hotmail.com
Alharbi
Talal Moteab
TM
Mein
Fan Dong
FD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D018890:Chemoprevention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents