title: Efficacy of Ginger in Control of Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Doxorubicin-Based Chemotherapy.
abstract: Nausea and vomiting are among the most serious side effects of chemotherapy, in some cases leading to treatment interruption or chemotherapy dose reduction. Ginger has long been known as an antiemetic drug, used for conditions such as motion sickness, nausea-vomiting in pregnancy, and post-operation side effects. One hundred and fifty female patients with breast cancer entered this prospective study and were randomized to receive ginger (500 mg ginger powder, twice a day for 3 days) or placebo. One hundred and nineteen patients completed the study: 57 of them received ginger and 62 received ginger for the frst 3 chemotherapy cycles. Mean age in all patients was 48.6 (25-79) years. After 1st chemotherapy, mean nausea in the ginger and control arms were 1.36 (±1.31) and 1.46 (±1.28) with no statistically significant difference. After the 2nd chemotherapy session, nausea score was slightly more in the ginger group (1.36 versus 1.32). After 3rd chemotherapy, mean nausea severity in control group was less than ginger group [1.37 (±1.14), versus 1.42 (±1.30)]. Considering all patients, nausea was slightly more severe in ginger arm. In ginger arm mean nausea score was 1.42 (±0.96) and in control arm it was 1.40 (±0.92). Mean vomiting scores after chemotherapy in ginger arm were 0.719 (±1.03), 0.68 (±1.00) and 0.77 (±1.18). In control arm, mean vomiting was 0.983 (±1.23), 1.03 (±1.22) and 1.15 (±1.27). In all sessions, ginger decreased vomiting severity from 1.4 (±1.04) to 0.71 (±0.86). None of the differences were significant. In those patients who received the AC regimen, vomiting was less severe (0.64±0.87) compared to those who received placebo (1.13±1.12), which was statistically significant (p-value <0.05). Further and larger studies are needed to draw conclusions.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran E-mail : nasrolahihamid@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Pezhman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Porouhan
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadianpanah
authors.forename: Shapour
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omidvari
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mosalaei
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmadloo
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasrollahi
authors.forename: Seyed Hasan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hamedi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004317:Doxorubicin