Chemotherapy In Patients Research Articles

The effectiveness of art-based interventions for cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of art-based interventions on anxiety, depression, fatigue, and overall quality of life (QoL), including its physical, psychological, and social dimensions in cancer patients. The literature search included all studies published up to March 2024. Searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, Web of Science, EBSCO, and PubMed databases considering the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2) and the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) developed by the Cochrane Collaboration. Data were analysed using the MAJOR package in JAMOVI 2.3.28. Fifteen studies conducted with 1113 cancer patients were identified and included in this study. Ten of the studies included women with breast cancer. The remaining studies involved chemotherapy patients with various cancers (n=3), cancer patients in a blood and marrow transplantation unit (n=1), and nasopharyngeal cancer patients (n=1). Meta-analysis indicated that art-based interventions had a significant effect on anxiety, depression and physical aspects of QoL but no significant impact on fatigue, overall QoL, or the psychological and social dimensions of QoL. This study provided clinical support for pursuing art-based research on anxiety, depression, and the physical QoL in cancer patients. However, the effect of art-based interventions on cancer patients' fatigue and their overall QoL, including its social and psychological dimensions, was insignificant. The study protocol was registered in advance in the PROSPERO (CRD42024531397/April 13, 2024).

Role of echocardiography in detecting patients at risk of mild cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction

Abstract Introduction breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and in those undergoing chemotherapy, a potential adverse event is cardiotoxicity. Various clinical scores and echocardiographic parameters have been proposed, but predicting left ventricular dysfunction remains challenging. Purpose this study aims to identify baseline pre-chemotherapy echocardiographic parameters that can predict cardiotoxicity. Methods consecutive patients diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer and treated with chemotherapy (including anthracycline, anti-HER2, taxanes or hormonal therapy) were prospectively enrolled and followed for one year with clinical and echocardiographic assessments at baseline and every three months. The diagnosis of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) was based on the 2022 ESC Guidelines. The case series was therefore divided based on the occurrence of mild CTRCD or not. For descriptive purpose we used mean and confidence intervals; median and interquartile ranges when appropriated. We used Student's T-test or Mann-Whitney U for within-group differences, paired T-test or Wilcoxon-Signed-Rank Test for repeated controls. CTRCD onset over time was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. ROC analysis was used to identify cut-off values able to define at risk patients. Statistical significance was setted at p < 0.05. Results we examined 138 patients with an average age of 53.52 years. 58 patients developed mild CTRCD, (18 within the first trimester, 26 between 3-6 months, 8 between 6-9 months, and 6 between 9-12 months). (Picture 1). Parameters like left ventricle global longitudinal strain (GLS), left ventricle eiection fraction (LVEF), early peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS), peak atrial contraction (PACS) and left atrial volume were evaluated. These parameters showed significant deterioration over time in the overall population; PACS and PALS changed early at 3 months, but nothing was significantly correlated with mild CTRCD diagnosis. A significant difference between the two groups was observed only for PALS at 6 months and PACS at 12 months. At the ROC analysis only GLS showed clinical utility in predicting mild CTRCD with an AUC of 0.83 (Picture 2), and the best cut-off value was -21 (sensitivity 0.724, specificity 0.850, positive predictive value 0.778, negative predictive value 0.810). Conclusions echocardiographic parameters worsened over time in chemotherapy patients. Atrial strain showed significant differences between groups. Basal atrial parameters did not predict CTRCD in our study, but literature supports the relevance of left atrial strain for predicting CTRCD. A baseline GLS value of ≤ -21 may indicate a higher likelihood of mild cardiotoxicity, probably because chemotherapy effect could cause more easily a reduction > 15% in GLS without reduction in LVEF when the baseline GLS is more negative. These findings require confirmation from larger studies.

Outpatient chemotherapy drug costs and expensive chemotherapy drug use in 340B and Non-340B hospitals: an observational study

BackgroundThe 340B Drug Pricing Program has been controversial since its inception in 1992, a major criticism being that 340B hospitals use more outpatient drugs, and more expensive drugs, because of financial incentives to “make money” through the program. The goal of this study was to determine whether characteristics of patients treated at 340B hospitals, and affiliation of hospitals with NCI-designated cancer centers, would explain higher Part B drug costs and use of more expensive chemotherapy drugs.MethodsThis is an observational study using data from SEER-Medicare and 340B entity database. Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who were first diagnosed with cancer between 1/1/2013 and 12/31/2015 were included. Hospital, patient, and cancer/clinical characteristics were used as predictors of both overall Part B drug costs and use of expensive chemotherapy drugs. Patient characteristics and cancer conditions were compared between those who were treated at 340B and non-340B hospitals, and between those who used and who did not use any expensive chemotherapy treatment. Independent relationships between overall Part B drug costs and patients’ 340B status, and between patients’ use of expensive chemotherapy drug and patients’ 340B status were evaluated in multivariate analyses, using a “stepwise” generalized estimating equation modeling approach.ResultsWe found that patients at 340B hospitals had a somewhat higher chance of using one of the ten expensive chemotherapy drugs, and somewhat higher overall drug costs, but these relationships became non-significant when patient, cancer/clinical factors, and cancer center status were considered. Compared to the reference patients, patients who were treated in an NCI-designated cancer center or a hospital affiliated with such center, who had certain types of cancers (e.g., B-cell), or had advanced-stage disease had a higher chance to use expensive chemotherapy treatment; patients who were older, survived the first 12 months upon diagnosis, had advanced-stage disease, or had more drug claims had higher drug costs.ConclusionsHospital 340B status was not significantly associated with use of more expensive cancer drugs or drug costs once other relevant factors (e.g., cancer center status, advanced-stage disease) were taken into account.

The biological intersection between chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and one of the leading causes of death in elderly patients. The number of patients with AD in the United States is projected to double by 2060. Thus, understanding modifiable risk factors for AD is an urgent public health priority. In parallel with AD patients, the number of cancer survivors is estimated to increase significantly, and up to 80% of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy will develop cognitive deficits, termed chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). This Review discusses biologically plausible pathways underlying both disorders, with the goal of understanding why a proportion of chemotherapy patients may be at higher risk of developing AD. Highlighted are the E4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuronal and synaptic loss, cellular senescence, brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling, white matter damage, blood-brain barrier/vascular dysfunction, tau pathology, and transposable element reactivation.

Preventive Photobiomodulation for Chemotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

Background/Objectives: Oral mucositis (OM) is the most common acute complication among cancer patients. It initially manifests as an inflammatory process, beginning with erythema and edema of the oral mucosa, progressing to erosive lesions, and ultimately leading to highly painful ulcers. This systematic review seeks to evaluate the efficacy of preventive PBM protocols in mitigating chemotherapy-induced OM. Methods: The PRISMA guidelines were followed. The search was conducted in August 2024 in the following databases: Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, WoS, Cochrane, SciELO, BDTD, and BVS/IBECS. Only randomized clinical trials that utilized preventive photobiomodulation protocols in chemotherapy patients were included. All studies involving patients previously treated with radiation therapy were excluded. The Joanna Briggs Institute tool was employed for risk of bias analysis. Results: The total sample size consisted of 828 patients aged between 1 and 84 years. There was no predisposition based on gender or age. When the patients were evaluated under preventive protocols, some cases of mucositis manifested in a total of 339 cases. Of the total number of patients in the 13 selected studies (n = 828), 40.94% developed oral mucositis over the course of chemotherapy cycles. Comparing the experimental and control groups, 211 patients who did not receive preventive laser treatment developed oral mucositis; in contrast, only 128 in the experimental group did. Eighty-five percent of the studies exhibited a low risk of bias. Conclusions: Preventively applied photobiomodulation proves effective in minimizing or even preventing the manifestation of oral mucositis and reducing the severity of lesions that arise during oncological treatment. Registration PROSPERO (CRD42023465329).

Enhancing Solubility of a BCS Class II Drug- Itraconazole by Developing and Optimizing Solid Lipid Nanoparticles using a Central Composite Design.

Itraconazole (ICZ) has been approved by the FDA to treat many fungal infections including, blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, and aspergillosis. ICZ can be also used as prophylaxis in the population who are at high risk for developing systemic fungal infections, such as HIV patients, and chemotherapy patients. However, since ICZ is a BCS Class II drug that has low solubility and high permeability, leads to low oral bioavailability. In addition, the absorption of ICZ from commercial oral dosage forms is highly affected by food intake and pH. The current study aimed to develop, optimize, and characterize ICZ-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (ICZ-SLNs) using a Central Composite Design for improved solubility and extendedrelease profile. ICZ-SLNs were optimized based on physicochemical characteristics. ICZ-SLNs were also evaluated for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), in-vitro release, lyophilization, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and physicochemical stability at refrigerated and room temperatures for three months. The optimized ICZ-SLNs formulation showed particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, drug content, and entrapment efficiency of 335.6±8.0 nm, 0.25±0.02, -23.8±0.5 mV, 98.3±2.5%, and 99.5±1.5%, respectively. ICZ-SLN dispersions showed extended-release profiles for ICZ compared to the control solution over 24 h. The absence of the endothermic melting drug peak of the lyophilized formulation indicated that the drug was converted to its amorphous form inside the solid matrix. In addition, TEM studies showed spherical shape nanoparticles. Moreover, the optimized ICZ-SLN formulation was stable at both tested storage conditions. The current ICZ formulation could exhibit improved oral bioavailability with better therapeutic outcomes during the treatment of systemic fungal infections.

Cardiotoxicity as important differential diagnosis for reduced myocardial blood flow during Rubidium cardiac PET/CT : Cardiotoxicity in Rubidium PET/CT.

A 65-year-old woman with a history of ductal mammary carcinoma and recent autonomic dysfunction underwent a Rb-82 chloride (RbCl) cardiac PET/CT scan that showed no ischemia or scarring, but significantly reduced myocardial flow reserve (MFR) (global: 1.5) and a CAC-Score of 0. The patient's chemotherapy history (paclitaxel, carboplatin, epirubicin, pembrolizumab 2 years before) with elevated Troponin T and NT-pro-BNP levels at that time, and now reduced MFR with 0 CAC suggests cancer-therapy-related cardiotoxicity. An important differential diagnosis to the more common CAD-associated microvascular disease. Furthermore, tumor recurrence with a PET-avid lymph node metastasis was found additionally.

Effect of Chemotherapy Patient Education Using the Teach-Back Method on Symptom Management and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the teach-back method in managing chemotherapy symptoms and improving quality of life. A secondary aim was to develop more effective care and education frameworks for cancer treatment. A single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 80 patients who received chemotherapy between June 2022 and May 2023. Patients in the intervention group were educated about the chemotherapy process using the teach-back method, while those in the control group received standard education. Data were collected using a participant information form, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), and the EQ-5D Quality of Life Scale. Statistical significance was accepted as p < 0.05 for all tests. In both groups, EQ-5D scores increased with the number of chemotherapy cycles, indicating a negative impact on quality of life. However, this increase was smaller in the intervention group. As the number of cycles increased, the intervention group scored lower on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale compared to the control group. The results of the study show that using the teach-back method in patient education is effective in the management of chemotherapy-related symptoms and improving overall quality of life.

Kefir probiotic products on the count of Candida Albicans in saliva of chemotherapy patients: A randomized placebo-controlled single-blind study.

Oral candidiasis is the most common infection of oral mucosa caused by Candida albicans. A common predisposing factor for candidiasis is immune system suppression in specific diseases such as AIDS and various cancers. This study aimed to analyze the effect of Kefir probiotic products on the count of C. Albicans in the saliva of chemotherapy patients. In this single-blinded clinical trial, 50 patients were selected who have signed informed consent forms. Patients aged 20-60 years with colon or breast cancer who received the same chemotherapy regimen were included and those with a history of radiation therapy, underlying diseases, using antibiotics, anti-fungal and GCSF medicines were excluded. Matched patients in test and control groups received 100 ccs Kefir probiotic and mineral water, respectively at a specific daily time for five weeks. Blood and saliva samples were collected in five steps. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 21 and the significance level was set at p< 0.05. In saliva samples, the count of C. Albicans in the test group dropped significantly (p<0.05), while there were no significant differences between test and control groups in blood samples (p>0.05). Comparing the follow-up sessions, in the test groups, WBC and Neutrophil, and in the control groups, WBC count and hematocrit showed significant differences (p< 0.05). Based on the results, using probiotic products daily over a short-term period drops the count of oral C. Albicans. Therefore, Kefir probiotic products can be used as an additional treatment for chemotherapy patients.

Bleomycin-induced Pulmonary Toxicity in a Patient with Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case Report

Bleomycin is an antineoplastic drug used to treat various types of cancer. It can cause pulmonary toxicity (PT) with different patterns on chest computed tomography (CT), including diffuse alveolar injury, organized pneumonia, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, and bronchiolitis. The exact mechanism of PT remains unclear, but it is related to the generation of active bleomycin radicals in the absence of oxygen. Currently, the only effective treatment for PT is timely administration of corticosteroids to prevent severe respiratory failure and fibrosis. A case of a patient with stage IIIB Hodgkin's lymphoma who experienced clinical deterioration attributed to the toxic effects of bleomycin is presented. The patient's chemotherapy regimen was changed, and the AVD regimen was continued without bleomycin, along with oral steroid treatment for four weeks. After seven weeks, the patient's symptoms improved significantly, and imaging revealed improvement.

PICC management for bladder tumor patient with toxic epidermal necrolysis: A crisis intervention case report.

Crisis intervention is crucial in managing acute medical crises to improve outcomes. Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), a severe skin reaction often triggered by drug exposure, poses challenges, especially in chemotherapy patients. Evidence on nursing care for TEN patients with Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) retention during chemotherapy is limited. We present a 69-year-old male with recurrent bladder tumor receiving atezolizumab via PICC, developing TEN and catheter-associated skin impairment (CASI). Despite extensive skin breakdown, PICC retention was essential and innovative PICC care was necessary. A crisis management team implemented a six-step crisis intervention model, ensuring safety and treatment adherence. A three-layer dressing protocol was used to optimize wound care, prevent further CASI, and ensure the patient's comfort. This case underscores the efficacy of crisis intervention in managing TEN with PICC during chemotherapy, highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in complex medical scenarios.

Effects of long-acting versus short-acting granulocyte colony stimulating factor after radiotherapy in gynecologic malignancies: a prospective observational cohort study

Little is known about the role of the protective effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients after radiotherapy. The aim of the present study was to explore the prophylactic effects of long-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on febrile neutropenia (FN) and myelosuppression in chemotherapy patients with gynecologic malignancies after pelvic radiotherapy. Patients voluntarily participated in a study group (long-acting G-CSF for all chemotherapy cycles) and a control group (short-acting G-CSF) after they were educated about G-CSF utilization. The incidences of FN and myelosuppression, as well as adverse events, were compared between the two groups. A regression model was used to determine the risk factors for FN and myelosuppression. From January 6, 2019, to August 22, 2019, 61 patients were included in the final analysis, with 286 chemotherapy cycles. There were 14 (23.0%) and 57 (77.0%) patients in the study and control groups, respectively. The study group had significantly fewer complete blood count tests, fewer outpatient clinic visits, fewer short-acting G-CSF doses, and lower incidences of FN and myelosuppression per chemotherapy cycle. According to the binary regression model, the use of long-acting G-CSF was the only factor associated with a decreased incidence of myelosuppression but not FN. The major adverse event related to G-CSF was mild bone pain. In conclusion, long-acting G-CSF may effectively reduce the incidence of FN and myelosuppression with mild adverse effects during chemotherapy after radiotherapy.Trial registrationRegistered at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ on January 4, 2019 (NCT03793205).

Experiences of mutuality between Chinese lung cancer patients and family caregivers during chemotherapy: a qualitative study.

This qualitative study aims to deeply understand the emotional experiences of mutuality relationships between lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and their caregivers, providing insights for developing cancer-related mutuality interventions. Using a qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews, 15 pairs of patients and their caregivers from the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Affiliated People's Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were selected as subjects. Data were qualitatively and inductively analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis method. Five themes and fourteen sub-themes were extracted from the experiences and interactions between patients and caregivers: reciprocity and mutual support (support provided by patients to caregivers, support provided by caregivers to patients), challenges (lack of communication, difficulty in adaptation, role changes, economic burdens), change and adaptation (living with the disease, social support), negative outcomes (increased burden on caregivers, disruption of social activities and family relationships), and intervention needs (need for disease knowledge, humanistic care, communication skills). The findings of this study provide healthcare professionals with information on the mutual support and challenges faced by chemotherapy patients and their caregivers in coping with cancer. This information aims to facilitate culturally-based psychological interventions, enhance mutuality, improve quality of life, and promote the entire family's adaptation to the disease.

Summary of Evidence on Nutritional Management for Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

This paper aims to consolidate the most robust evidence on nutritional strategies for patients undergoing chemotherapy, offering evidence-based guidance for clinical practice. The review highlights critical evidence gaps in nutritional therapy for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients undergoing systemic therapy, integrating findings from both prospective and retrospective studies. According to the "6S" evidence resource pyramid model, clinical decision-making tools, guidelines, expert consensus, and systematic reviews on nutritional management for chemotherapy patients were systematically retrieved from national and international databases. The methodological quality of the selected literature was evaluated using AGREE II for guidelines, the JBI Evidence-Based Healthcare Center's standards for systematic reviews, and expert consensus developed by evidence-based practice experts. A total of 47 articles were analyzed, consisting of 12 guidelines, 12 expert consensus statements, and 23 systematic reviews. The findings were categorized into five dimensions: interdisciplinary collaboration, nutritional screening and assessment, nutritional requirements, nutritional therapy, and discharge and follow-up, resulting in the identification of 62 pieces of relevant evidence. The study provides comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for nutritional management in chemotherapy patients. Application of the evidence should be adapted to specific clinical scenarios, patient conditions, preferences, and expert judgment to ensure both feasibility and relevance in clinical practice. This review consolidates diverse nutritional management strategies into a unified framework, addressing evidence gaps in AGC under systemic therapy. Integrating prospective and retrospective studies with interdisciplinary insights provides evidence-based recommendations to enhance patient care through personalized and standardized approaches.

Radiation image diagnosis and QCC based on thermal modeling for the prevention of peripheral neuropathy in oxaliplatin chemotherapy patients

Radiation image diagnosis and QCC based on thermal modeling for the prevention of peripheral neuropathy in oxaliplatin chemotherapy patients

Protective environment strategies for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: progress and prospects

With the progress of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation technology, the reduction of pretreatment intensity, the shortening of bone marrow suppression time and the reduction of infection risk, especially the physical and psychological stress for doctors and patients caused by rigorous protection procedures, the protective environment strategies need improvement. It has been found that, regardless of whether total environment protection is implemented, there is no significant difference in the outcomes of chemotherapy patients with neutropenia. Therefore, the traditional protective environment strategies are being improved. The protective environment strategies for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients have developed rapidly in the past two decades, from the replacement of laminar flow equipment by high-efficiency filtration devices to the development of home care after transplantation. In this article, the progress in protective environment strategies for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients is reviewed and further reflect, providing reference for future improvement.

AI-Driven Prediction of Symptom Trajectories in Cancer Care: A Deep Learning Approach for Chemotherapy Management.

This study presents an advanced method for predicting symptom escalation in chemotherapy patients using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The accurate prediction of symptom escalation is critical in cancer care to enable timely interventions and improve symptom management to enhance patients' quality of life during treatment. The analytical dataset consists of daily self-reported symptom logs from chemotherapy patients, including a wide range of symptoms, such as nausea, fatigue, and pain. The original dataset was highly imbalanced, with approximately 84% of the data containing no symptom escalation. The data were resampled into varying interval lengths to address this imbalance and improve the model's ability to detect symptom escalation (n = 3 to n = 7 days). This allowed the model to predict significant changes in symptom severity across these intervals. The results indicate that shorter intervals (n = 3 days) yielded the highest overall performance, with the CNN model achieving an accuracy of 81%, precision of 87%, recall of 80%, and an F1 score of 83%. This was an improvement over the LSTM model, which had an accuracy of 79%, precision of 85%, recall of 79%, and an F1 score of 82%. The model's accuracy and recall declined as the interval length increased, though precision remained relatively stable. The findings demonstrate that both CNN's temporospatial feature extraction and LSTM's temporal modeling effectively capture escalation patterns in symptom progression. By integrating these predictive models into digital health systems, healthcare providers can offer more personalized and proactive care, enabling earlier interventions that may reduce symptom burden and improve treatment adherence. Ultimately, this approach has the potential to significantly enhance the overall quality of life for chemotherapy patients by providing real-time insights into symptom trajectories and guiding clinical decision making.

Development, Validation, and Visualization of a Web-Based Nomogram to Predict the Risk of Psychological Distress in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy After Breast Cancer Surgery.

Psychological distress of postoperative chemotherapy patients with breast cancer is significant and has a serious impact on their quality of survival. Risk prediction models can efficiently assess patients' psychological distress and risk factors. To investigate the factors influencing psychological distress in postoperative chemotherapy patients with breast cancer and construct a nomogram model to predict the occurrence of psychological distress in patients. Two hundred forty-seven women in treatment for breast cancer who were postoperative and receiving chemotherapy were recruited. Participants completed a distress management screening measure, a numerical rating scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and demographic and clinical items. Experiencing significant psychological distress was reported by 65.6% of participants. The psychological distress risk prediction model included 5 variables: financial problems, appearance/shape, distant metastases, the Numerical Rating Scale Pain score, and fatigue. A web calculator was designed based on the model (https://77nomogram.shinyapps.io/dynnomapp/). This study found that financial and appearance/shape problems, distant metastases, pain scores, and fatigue were predictors of greater psychological distress in women undergoing chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery. The model constructed in this study has good predictive efficacy. This web-based nomogram model can help healthcare professionals quickly assess the likelihood of psychological distress in patients and screen for risk factors for psychological distress.

Exploring the Relationship Between Dietary Phytochemical Index and Chemotherapy-Related Symptoms: Insights From a Cross-Sectional Study.

Phytochemicals may confer substantial benefits in alleviating chemotherapy-related symptoms. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the role of dietary phytochemicals on treatment-related symptoms in patients receiving chemotherapy. Data including demographic variables, anthropometric measures such as weight and height, 3-day food record, and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS), a composite measure of patients' chemotherapy-related symptoms, were gathered via face-to-face interviews. The dietary phytochemical index (DPI) was computed based on the patient's food records and presented by dividing into quartiles. The study included 152 participants with a mean age of 59.59 ± 13.19 years. The mean N-SAS score was 2.16 ± 0.80. The average DPI score for the entire group was 24.66 ± 6.55, significantly higher in women (26.61 ± 6.06) than men (23.05 ± 6.54) (p = 0.001). As the DPI quartile values increased, there was a statistically significant decrease in N-SAS scores (p = 0.002). A significantly negative correlation was found between the N-SAS score and DPI, as well as all cancers (r = -0.364; p < 0.001). Additionally, a negative correlation was observed between the N-SAS score and specific cancer types, comprising lung cancer (r = -0.513; p = 0.005), breast cancer (r = -0.612; p < 0.001), and gastrointestinal system (GIS) cancer (r = -0.329; p = 0.033). Increasing dietary phytochemicals in chemotherapy patients may help manage treatment-related symptoms. Phytochemicals may confer substantial benefits in alleviating chemotherapy-related symptoms. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the role of dietary phytochemicals on cancer-related symptoms in patients receiving chemotherapy. A significantly negative correlation was found between N-SAS score and DPI and all cancers (r = -0.364; p < 0.001) and different cancer types such as lung (r = -0.513; p = 0.005), breast (r = -0.612; p < 0.001), and GIS (r = -0.329; p = 0.033). As a result, increasing dietary phytochemicals in chemotherapy patients may help manage treatment-related symptoms.

Aprepitant mitigates paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain in rats via suppressing inflammatory pathways in dorsal root ganglia

Neuropathic pain is the crucial dose-limiting side effect of paclitaxel in chemotherapy patients that negatively impacts the quality of life and survival. Currently, no effective treatment option is available. Aprepitant, a well-established chemotherapy antiemetic performing neurokinin-1 receptor antagonism, shows analgesic effects in some pain models. We studied aprepitant analgesic effects on the paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain model in rats besides inflammatory markers assessment. Rats intraperitoneally received paclitaxel, reaching the cumulative paclitaxel dose of 8 mg/kg. Aprepitant was orally administered every alternate day between days 2 and 14, with a prescribed dosage of 10 or 20 mg/kg. The evaluation of mechanical allodynia and cold hyperalgesia involved the measurement of paw withdrawal threshold and acetone test score on days 0, 7, and 14. On day 14, paw licking latency was measured using a hot plate test before scarification and tissue collection for interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) evaluation. Paclitaxel induced neuropathy as indicated by a lowered hind paw withdrawal threshold in the Von Frey test, a higher score in the acetone test, and shortened hot plate latency. Aprepitant effectively alleviated cold and thermal hyperalgesia as well as mechanical allodynia. Moreover, aprepitant administration significantly reversed paclitaxel-mediated elevation of proinflammatory cytokines levels in dorsal root ganglia. In addition, aprepitant application suppressed the protein expression of NF-kB in the dorsal root ganglia of paclitaxel-treated rats, as revealed by western blot analysis. Aprepitant treatment ameliorates neuropathy induced by paclitaxel, which is associated with decreasing proinflammatory cytokines and NF-kB expression.