Cancer Therapy

Biography

Biography: Elahe Elhami

Abstract

Background: Chemotherapy is a treatment for many cancers however, chemotherapy treatment could cause many unwanted side effects among which nausea and vomiting are the most feared by patients. Objective: Study the pattern and cost impact of anti emetic drug in patients with cancer. Method: Retrospective observational study was conducted from March 2010 to August 2015 in 86 cancer patient admitted to all the departments at KIMS hospital, Bangalore. Information from the case sheets was retrieved into a well designed data collection form from cancer patients The mean prescription cost was calculated for about 5 days for each case. Results: Out of 86 cancer patients, 45 (52.32%) were male and 41(47.67%) were females with mean age of 55±11.94 years. We found that 20 (23.25%) patients were on monotherapy, 35 (40.69%) patients on two drug therapy, 22 (25.58%) patients were on three drug therapy, 9(10.46%) patients were on four drug therapy. Out of 205 drugs prescribed for 86 patients, most common drugs were ondansetron with 63(33.17%) prescription, follow by dexamethasone 65(31.7%), aprepitant 40 (19.51%), pantoprazole 20 (9.75%), lorazepam 12 (5.85). About 128(62.43%) of the prescribed drugs where from essential drug list (EDL) 2015. 90 (43.9%) patients were prescribed with generic names. Average number of antiemetic drugs per prescription was found to be 2.23±0.92.The mean prescription cost of antiemetic drugs for 5 days was found to be 620.98 INR. Conclusion: The prescription analysed were in accordance to guideline of national comprehensive cancer network (NCCN) and it showed that management of vomiting after and before chemotherapy need combination of therapies.