title: Can malignant bowel obstruction in advanced cancer patients be treated at home?
abstract: Eleven advanced cancer patients affected by malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) were treated at home with a combination of octreotide, metoclopramide, morphine, and dexamethasone. In all patients, we observed a prompt control of gastrointestinal symptoms and recovery of bowel movements within 1-5 days. Based on our results, a combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action allows an effective and safe treatment for MBO at home. Further studies with larger number of patients are warranted to confirm these preliminary data.
authors.affiliation: L'Aquila per la Vita Home Care Unit, L'Aquila, Italy. porzio@sctf.it
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Porzio
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aielli
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verna
authors.forename: Brigida
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galletti
authors.forename: Ghazaleh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shoja E Razavi
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ficorella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000932:Antiemetics; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D009020:Morphine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008787:Metoclopramide; D015282:Octreotide