Cancer and nausea

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A painting from 1681 depicting a person affected by nausea and vomiting

Cancer and nausea are associated in about fifty percent of people affected by

opiates used for pain relief. About 70 to 80% of people undergoing chemotherapy experience nausea or vomiting. Nausea and vomiting may also occur in people not receiving treatment, often as a result of the disease involving the gastrointestinal tract,[2] electrolyte imbalance, or as a result of anxiety.[3] Nausea and vomiting may be experienced as the most unpleasant side effects of cytotoxic drugs[4] and may result in patients delaying or refusing further radiotherapy[5] or chemotherapy.[6]

The strategies of management or therapy of nausea and vomiting depend on the underlying causes.[7] Medical treatments or conditions associated with a high risk of nausea and/or vomiting include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and malignant bowel obstruction.[8] Anticipatory nausea and vomiting may also occur.[9] Nausea and vomiting may lead to further medical conditions and complications including: dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, and a decrease in quality of life.[3]

Nausea may be defined as an unpleasant sensation of the need to vomit.

toxins. In humans, the vomiting response may be preceded by an unpleasant sensation termed nausea, but nausea may also occur without vomiting. The central nervous system is the primary site where a number of emetic stimuli (input) are received, processed and efferent signals (output) are generated as a response and sent to various effector organs or tissues, leading to processes that eventually end in vomiting.[10]
The detection of emetic stimuli, the central processing by the brain and the resulting response by organs and tissues that lead to nausea and vomiting are referred to as the emetic pathway or emetic arch.

Causes

Some medical conditions that arise as a result of cancer or as a complication of its treatment are known to be associated with a high risk of nausea and/or vomiting. These include malignant bowel obstruction (MBO), chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV), and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (RINV).[citation needed]

Malignant bowel obstruction

Main article: Bowel obstruction

Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) of the gastrointestinal tract is a common complication of advanced cancer, especially in patients with bowel or gynaecological cancer. These include colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma.[8] Three percent of all advanced cancers lead to malignant bowel obstruction, and 25 to 50 percent of patients with ovarian cancer experience at least one episode of malignant bowel obstruction.[11] The mechanisms of action that may lead to nausea in MBO include mechanical compression of the gut, motility disorders, gastrointestinal secretion accumulation, decreased gastrointestinal absorption, and inflammation.[12] Bowel obstruction and the resulting nausea may also occur as a result of anti-cancer therapy such as radiation,[13] or adhesion after surgery.[14] Impaired gastric emptying as a result of bowel obstruction may not respond to drugs alone, and surgical intervention is sometimes the only means of symptom relief.[15] Some constipating drugs used in cancer therapy such as opioids may cause a slowing of peristalsis of the gut, which may lead to a functional bowel obstruction.[12]

Chemotherapy

Main article: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is one of the most feared side effects of chemotherapy[16] and is associated with a significant deterioration in quality of life.[17] CINV is classified into three categories:[16]

  • early onset (occurring within 24 hours of initial exposure to chemotherapy)
  • delayed onset (occurring 24 hours to several days after treatment)
  • anticipatory (triggered by taste, odor, sight, thoughts, or anxiety)

Risk factors that predict the occurrence and severity of CINV include sex and age, with females, younger people and people who have a high pretreatment expectation of nausea being at a higher risk, while people with a history of high alcohol consumption being at a lower risk.

emetogenic potential of the chemotherapeutic agents used. Chemotherapeutic agents are classified into four groups according to their degree of emetogenicity: high, moderate, low and minimal.[9]

Chemotherapeutic agents associated with vomiting
Association with vomiting Examples
Highly emetogenic (>90%)
Intravenous agents[19]
Mechlorethamine, Streptozotocin, Cyclophosphamide > 1500 mg/m2, Carmustine, Dacarbazine, Anthracycline
Highly emetogenic (>90%) oral agents [9]
Hexamethylmelamine, Procarbazine
Moderately emetogenic (30-90%) intravenous agents [9] Oxaliplatin, Cytarabine > 1g/m2, Carboplatin, Ifosfamide, Cyclophosphamide < 1500 mg/m2, Doxorubicin, Daunorubicin, Epirubicin, Idarubicin, Irinotecan, Azacitidine, Bendamustine, Clofarabine, Alemtuzumab
Moderately emetogenic (30-90%) oral agents [9] Cyclophosphamide, Temozolomide, Vinorelbine, Imatinib

The

neurokinin-1 antagonist
) given before chemotherapy.

Anticipatory

A common consequence of cancer treatment is the development of anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV).

prophylaxis and treatment of acute vomiting and nausea from the first exposure to therapy.[9][20] Behavioral treatment techniques, such as systematic desensitization, progressive muscle relaxation, and hypnosis have been shown to be effective against ANV.[9][20]

Radiation therapy

The incidence and severity of radiation therapy-induced nausea and vomiting (RINV) depends on a number of factors including therapy related factors such as irradiated site, single and total dose, fractionation, irradiated volume and radiotherapy techniques. Also involved are person related factors such as gender, general health of the person, age, concurrent or recent chemotherapy, alcohol consumption, previous experience of nausea, vomiting, anxiety as well as the tumor stage. The emetogenic potential of radiotherapy is classified into high, moderate, low and minimal risk depending on the site of irradiation:[5]

  • High risk: total body irradiation (TBI) is associated with a high risk of RINV
  • Moderate risk: radiation of the upper abdomen, half body irradiation and upper body irradiation
  • Low risk: radiation of the
    cranium
    , spine, head and neck, lower thorax region and pelvis
  • Minimal risk: radiation of extremities and breast

Pathophysiology

Nausea and vomiting may have a number of causes in people with cancer.[7] While more than one cause may exist in the same person stimulating symptoms via more than one pathway, the actual cause of nausea and vomiting may be unknown in some people. The underlying causes of nausea and vomiting may in some cases not be directly related to the cancer. The causes may be categorized as disease-related and treatment-related.[22]

The stimuli which lead to emesis are received and processed in the brain. It is thought that a number of loosely organized

nucleus tractus solitarii.[23] The nuclei coordinating emesis had formerly been referred to as the vomiting complex, but it is no longer thought to represent a single anatomical structure.[10][23]

Efferent outputs which transmit the information from the brain leading to the motoric response of retching and vomiting include vagal efferents to the

prodromal signs such as salivation and skin pallor.[23]

Nausea and vomiting may be initiated by various stimuli, through different neuronal pathways. A stimulus may act on more than one pathway.[23] Stimuli and pathways include:

Patient Reported Outcomes

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) allow patients to voice their perspective on health and behavioral status through self administered questionnaires.[24] Cancer and nausea have been measured with the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement System (PROMIS) using surveys with questions such as “in the last 7 days, how severe was your nausea?”[24] PROs can aid clinicians in tailoring nausea treatment specific to variations in high or low emetogenic chemotherapy from patient to patient.[25] One notable benefit of PROs is that surveys can be administered electronically, meaning patients who are too sick to go to the doctor can do it from home.[26]

Limitations: While helpful, PROs are subject to bias since they are reported after the symptoms are experienced.[25] Errors in patients’ memories can influence their PROs compared to if they had been asked while experiencing nausea rather than afterwards.[25] This can lead to ratings which may not accurately reflect how patients perceive their nausea at the moment.[25]

Management

The strategies of management or prevention of nausea and vomiting depend on the underlying causes, whether they are reversible or treatable, stage of the illness, the person's prognosis and other person specific factors. Anti emetic drugs are chosen according to previous effectiveness and side effects.[7]

Medication

Drugs that are used in the prophylaxis and therapy of nausea and vomiting in cancer include:

  • 5-HT3 antagonists: 5-HT3 antagonists produce their anti emetic effect by blocking of the amplifying effect of serotonin on peripheral and central 5-HT3 receptors located on the various vagal afferent nerve endings and the chemoreceptor trigger zone. They are effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of CINV as well as in malignant bowel obstruction and kidney failure which are associated with elevated serotonin levels.[11] These substances include Dolasetron, Granisetron, Ondansetron, Palonosetron, and Tropisetron. They are often used in combination with other anti emetic drugs in people with high risk of emesis or nausea and are recommended as the most effective anti emetics in the prophylaxis of acute CINV.[16]
  • Corticosteroids: such as Dexamethasone are used in the treatment of emesis as a result of chemotherapy, malignant bowel obstruction, raised intracranial pressure and in the chronic nausea of advanced cancer, though their exact mode of action remain unclear.[11] Dexamethason is recommended for use in the acute prevention of highly, moderately, and low emetogenic chemotherapy and in combination with aprepitant for the prevention of delayed emesis in highly emetogenic chemotherapy.[16]
  • NK1 receptor antagonists: such as Aprepitant block the NK1 receptor in the brainstem and gastrointestinal tract.[16] Their antiemetic activity when added to a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist plus dexametasone has been shown in several phase II double-blind studies.[9]
  • phenothiazines and haloperidol in the prevention of nausea and vomiting.[16] Cannabinoids are an option in affected people who are intolerant or refractory to 5-HT3 antagonists or steroids and aprepitant[16] as well as in refractory nausea and vomiting and rescue anti emetic therapy.[9]
  • Prokinetic agents such as Metoclopramide[11]
  • D2 receptors found in the chemoreceptor trigger zone[11]
  • H1 receptors in the vomiting center of the medulla, the vestibular nucleus, and the chemoreceptor trigger zone[11]
  • muscarinic receptors. They may be useful in the management of terminal bowel obstruction[11]
  • Somatostatin analoga such as Octreotide are used for the palliation of malignant bowel obstruction, especially when there is high output vomiting not responding to other measures[11]
  • Cannabidiol is used as a palliative treatment (non-curative symptomatic treatment) and improves numerous symptoms that frequently appear during chemotherapy like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, physical pain or insomnia. Due to the large number of cannabinoid receptors ( CB1 and CB2 ) distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract ( GI ), these substances can help to control and treat many GI diseases where vomiting and nausea are frequent.[27]

Side Effects

Side effects of antiemetic drugs are relatively mild. Depending on the type of drug and dosage prescribed, common side effects may include: headache, constipation, diarrhea, insomnia, agitation, acne, weight loss/weight gain, dizziness, or drowsiness.[16] In addition, although cannabis has proven extremely beneficial for emetic relief, a small percentage of patients opting to use medical cannabis have shown to become dependent on it after treatment concludes.[28]

Nonmedical Interventions

Other non-drug measures may include:

  • Diet: Small palatable meals are normally tolerated better than big meals in people affected by nausea and vomiting in cancer. Carbohydrate meals are better tolerated than spicy, fatty and sweet foods. Cool, fizzy drinks are found to be more palatable than still or hot drinks.[29]
  • Classical Conditioning: Patients who have become conditioned to feel nauseas after chemotherapy by treatment setting, sights, sounds, or smells associated with chemotherapy can be treated by introducing a new flavor or odor to unpair the conditioned stimuli to varying levels of effectiveness.[30]
  • Placebo effect: Placebos have shown varying outcomes, but experiments have not found any clinically significant changes in nausea levels. Attempting to use a placebo to treat nausea for yourself or a loved one may be ineffective.[30]
  • The avoidance of environmental stimuli, such as sights, sounds, or smells that may initiate nausea.[11]
  • Behavioral approaches, such as distraction,
    Cognitive behavioural therapy, Yoga, and Guided imagery may also be useful.[11][31]
  • Alternative medicine: acupuncture, and ginger have been shown to have some anti emetic effects on chemotherapy-induced emesis and anticipatory nausea, but have not been evaluated in the nausea of far advanced disease.[11][32] Additionally, the effectiveness of ginger may be dampened by perceptions of it being a weak antiemetic.[30]

Palliative surgery

Palliative care is the active care of people with advanced, progressive illness such as cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines it as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems (such as nausea or vomiting), physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.[33]

Sometimes it is possible or necessary to provide relief for cancer-caused nausea and vomiting through palliative surgical intervention. Surgery is however not routinely carried out when there are poor prognostic criteria for surgical intervention such as intra-abdominal carcinomatosis, poor performance status and massive ascites.[8] The surgical approach proves beneficial in affected people with operable lesions, a life expectancy greater than 2 months and good performance status.[12] Often a malignant bowel obstruction is the cause of the symptoms in which case the purpose of palliative surgery is to relieve the symptoms of bowel obstruction by means of several procedures including:

Epidemiology

In 2008, 12.7 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths were estimated worldwide.[35]

  • Nausea or vomiting occur in 50 to 70% of people with advanced cancer.[36]
  • 50 to 80% of people undergoing radiotherapy experience nausea and/or vomiting, depending on the site of irradiation.[5]
  • Anticipatory nausea and vomiting is experienced by approximately 20 to 30% of people undergoing chemotherapy.[20]
  • Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting resulting from treatment with highly emetogenic cytotoxic drugs can be prevented or effectively treated in 70 to 80% of affected people.[4][16]

Financial Implications

Individual: CINV has shown to bring a heavy financial burden on cancer patients. These costs may discourage patients from seeking treatment or purchasing medication despite nausea being one of the most debilitating side effects of chemotherapy.[37] In addition to hospital fees, studies have found that costs incurred for prescription antiemetics averaged between $100–1400 per chemotherapy cycle depending on the drugs prescribed.[37]

Healthcare system: In addition to patient costs, CINV also takes a heavy financial toll on the healthcare system at large. General cancer symptom management has shown to make up 5% of annual hospital expenses, with the cost of CINV changing with antiemetic treatment.[38] It was found that people receiving prophylactic treatment posed a significantly lower burden on the healthcare system. In contrast, patients who received no prophylactic treatment were shown to pose a substantial cost to the healthcare system.[38] These additional costs have shown to be associated with repeated hospital visits and emergency medication for uncontrolled CINV.[38] 

See also

References

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