title: Assessment of adverse events via a telephone consultation service for cancer patients receiving ambulatory chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increasing number of cancer patients are receiving ambulatory chemotherapy to improve their quality of life and reduce medical expenses. During outpatient chemotherapy, adverse events (AEs) occurring at home must be carefully monitored. We investigated the use of our institution's telephone consultation service that is available to patients and their caregivers for advice on and the management of AEs and complications arising from cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone consultants assessed and graded AEs according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). All patient characteristics, AEs, and background factors were analyzed using logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between August 2011 and August 2012, we included 253 patients and 344 telephone consultations regarding AEs during chemotherapy for analysis in this study. Grade 1 AEs were assessed in 223 consultations (65%); grade 2 AEs, in 90 consultations (26%); and grade 3 AEs, in 31 consultations (9%). A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed an association between a change in patient schedules and the occurrence of grade 2 or worse AEs (Hazard ratio = 6.58, P < 0.001). Changes in planned chemotherapy occurred more often in cases involving male patients (Hazard ratio = 2.70, P = 0.02) and in cases of grade 2 or worse AEs (Hazard ratio = 6.58, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that AE assessment using CTCAE via a telephone consultation service is useful for both the triage of patients and the prediction of severe AEs that may change clinical schedules.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. shkondo@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. sashiba@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiba
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. ryudagaw@east.ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Udagawa
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. yryshim@east.ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ryushima
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. mhsuzuki@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. tmuehara@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. masanabe@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asanabe
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. ketamura@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Treatment Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. juhashim@ncc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019468:Disease Management; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010045:Outpatients; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013689:Telephone; D014218:Triage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents