Manifest Anxiety Scale for evaluation of effects of granisetron in chemotherapy with CDDP and 5FU for head and neck cancer

Abstract

The level of anxiety was examined before treatment by means of the Manifest Anxiety Scale (MAS) in 41 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. They received 5 days of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5FU). Granisetron (KYT) was administered daily from day 1 to day 5. Nausea, vomiting, appetite, and well-being were assessed during and after chemotherapy. The relation between the effects of KYT and anxiety was studied. Seventeen patients were proven to have anxiety and were compared with the other 24 patients. In patients with anxiety, the percentage well-being was significantly lower on days 1 and 2 (P=0.008, 0.001). The rate of freedom from nausea was significantly lower from day 4 to day 9 for anxiety patients (P=0.010-0.050). The percentage of anxiety patients without loss of appetite was significantly lower from day 6 to 9 (p=0.001-0.020). The rate of freedom from vomiting was significantly lower on days 4, 5 and 7 for anxiety patients (P=0.024, 0.024, 0.014). The results indicate that the effect of KYT was significantly lower from day 3 to day 7 for anxiety patients (P=0.008-0.045). The anxiety group had significantly poorer well-being at the beginning of chemotherapy, and were not responsive to KYT in the delayed phase. Our results prove that anxiety patients show delayed emesis, and the administration of KYT is considered insufficient. It may be important to co-administer a tranquilizer to any patient who exhibit anxiety as defined by the MAS, in order to reduce delayed emesis.

Distress, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

“…In the present study however, there was no other group to compare proportion of patients with anxiety and depression. Granisetron an antiemetic has also been found to be less effective in patients with manifest anxiety [ 11 ]. Effect of age has been evaluated and older patients and men had been found to have less anxiety and depression [ 12 ], we however failed to find any such relation in our study.…”

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea, Vomiting, and Fatigue – the Role of Individual Differences Related to Sensory Perception and Autonomic Reactivity

“…Since absorption has been suggested to be a potential risk factor for both anxiety disorders [32] and somatic symptoms [30, 31], and since trait anxiety has been shown to be associated with the severity of side effects [43], we specifically explored the possible influence of trait anxiety on the associations between side effects and the three remaining trait measures. The associations found between side effects and sensory amplification and autonomic perception ceased to be significant when controlling for trait anxiety.…”

Behavioral and psychological predictors of chemotherapy adherence in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

“…Researchers have observed that anxiety symptoms are related to delayed emesis and poorer response to anti-nausea medication after use of platinum-based chemotherapy. 10 …”