Analysis of chemotherapy-induced toxicity and its amelioration in patients with cancer in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Background: According to the World Health Organization, an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is any response to a medication that is unpleasant, unexpected, and occurs at recommended doses utilized in men for prevention, diagnosis, or therapy. Pharmacovigilance is of utmost importance to ensure safe and effective medications, especially in palliative health care services. ADRs associated with cancer chemotherapy in a hospital setup give insight into the causality, severity, and preventability of the identified ADRs. Hence, the study aims to analyze the various adverse effects of drugs used for cancer chemotherapy and the measures taken to ameliorate the toxicity of these drugs. Aims and Objectives: The objective of our study was to analyze the various adverse effects of drugs used for cancer chemotherapy and the measures taken to ameliorate the toxicity of these drugs. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study done from October 2021 to May 2022. The study was conducted in the Department of Medical Oncology at Victoria Hospital, attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, with 40 patients who were diagnosed with cancer and were undergoing chemotherapy. ADRs were recorded using the CDSCO–ADR form, graded according to severity, and uploaded to PVPI. Results: The data demonstrated that most of the patients who experienced ADR were females (75%) and in the age group of 18–60 years (70%). The most common chemotherapeutic agent was cisplatin and the most common ADR was anemia (42.5%) and nausea (27.5%). Out of the 21 types of adverse reactions, nine ADRs were treated with ameliorating therapy. Even though a number of adverse reactions were reported, only 43% of patients were treated with ameliorating therapy. Conclusion: Patients diagnosed with cancer and who are on chemotherapy are already in distress and experience a lot of ADRs. Identifying and treating these ADRs is quite challenging. These ADRs are inevitable, and in terms of the risk-benefit ratio, the benefit is greater than the risk due to therapy. So, we must create awareness about ameliorating toxicity to positively impact the quality of life. The study shows only some reactions are treated with ameliorating therapy for chemotherapy-induced toxicity.