Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting in Patients with Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer Treated with Chemotherapy: A Prospective Observational Study by the CINV Study Group of Japan.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the prevalence of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients with hepatobiliary-pancreatic (HBP) cancer in a prospective nationwide survey.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred patients with HBP cancer (biliary tract cancer; n=70, hepatocellular carcinoma; n=20, and pancreatic cancer; n=10) who received chemotherapy for the first time were analyzed. Medical personnel were surveyed to examine the accuracy of their predicted frequency of CINV.

RESULTS: The compliance rate with the Japanese guideline with highly emetogenic chemotherapy was 36/89 (40%). Although the prevalence of CINV in patients with HBP cancer was significantly lower than that of the total 1,910 patients with cancer, the prevalence of delayed CINV in patients with HBP cancer was as high as 28%. The survey results suggested that the medical staff tended to overestimate the incidence of CINV.

CONCLUSION: CINV appears to be controlled under management according to the guidelines, but delayed nausea remains prevalent and requires further investigation.