engleski

Symptoms prevalence in patients with gastrointestinal cancers : before versus after chemotherapy

Introduction : Patients (pts) with gastrointestinal cancers suffer from many symptoms during their disese (1-25). Pain is the most prevalent symptom in cancer pts. Its occur in 70-90% of pts with advanced disease and its often undertreated in elderly (>70years) pts. Fatigue is the most frequently reported symptom in cancer pts undergoing chemotherapy. Aim : The aim of this study was to compare the symptom prevalence and its severity in cht naive pts before versus after chemotherapy protocols were applied. We also compared symptoms in younger versus elderly pts. Results : 132 pts were inrolled into the study ; 48 females and 74 males with mean age of 64, 2 years. Elderly group consisted of 32 pts (24, 2%) ; 20 females and 12 males with mean age of 73, 8 years. There was 86 (65, 1%) pts with metastatic or locally advanced disease. The most common cancer site was gastric and pancreatic cancer. In follow-up period 264 cycles were applicated. Symptoms severity levels (mild, moderate, severe) had been evaluated in all pts at the start, after 1st and 2nd cycle of CPF (cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin) cht protocol. The most common symptoms reported in cht naive pts were pain in multiple sites (69, 7%), anorexia (53%), sleeping disorders (53%) and fatigue (47%): After 2nd cycle of cht fatigue in 85%, depression in 58%, anorexia in 51% and pain in 17% were the most reported symptoms in younger pts. In elderly group fatigue in 87, 5%, pain in 56, 3%, anorexia in 43, 7% and sleeping disorders in 40, 6% of pts were the most common symptoms. Conclusions : With good analgetic therapy during cht, pain become good controlled symptom in younger pts ; its still remain serious problem in elderly pts. Fatigue experience during cht is a serious problem for both groups. Although CPF is middle toxic protocol, significant number of pts developed severe fatigue, supporting the need for better fatigue management.

symptoms prevalence; gastrointestinal cancers; chemotherapy

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