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PURPOSE: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer negatively affect patients' physical, functional and psychological wellbeing. Patients' needs for care cannot be addressed unless they are recognized by healthcare providers (HCPs). The use of quality of life (QoL) assessments with feedback to HCPs might facilitate the identification and discussion of QoL-topics. METHODS: 113 patients with stage I-IIIB breast cancer treated with chemotherapy were included in this randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either usual care, or usual care with an intervention consisting of a QoL-monitor assessing QoL, distress and care needs before every chemotherapy cycle visit. Patients completed questionnaires regarding QoL, illness perceptions, self-efficacy, and satisfaction with communication. From the 2nd visit onwards, patients in the intervention arm and their HCPs received a copy of the QoL overview and results were shown in patients' medical files. Audio-recordings and patients' self-reports were used to investigate effects on communication, patient management and patient-wellbeing. A composite score for communication was calculated by summing the number of QoL-topics discussed during each consultation. RESULTS: Use of the QoL-monitor resulted in a higher communication score (0.7 topics increase per visit, p = 0.04), especially regarding the disease-specific and psychosocial issues (p < 0.01). There were no differences in patient management, QoL, illness perceptions or distress. Patients in the experimental arm (n = 60) had higher scores on satisfaction with communication (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Use of a QoL-monitor during chemotherapy in patients with early breast cancer might result in a more frequent discussion of QoL-topics, associated with high levels of patients' satisfaction.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/psicología , Detección Precoz del Cáncer/métodos , Calidad de Vida/psicología , Adulto , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Suecia , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
PURPOSE: Cultural differences are hypothesized to influence patients' Quality of Life (QoL) reports. However, there is a lack of empirical cross-cultural studies comparing QoL of patients with cancer. This study aims to compare QoL of women with breast cancer in the Netherlands and Japan, and to investigate the association of QoL with sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables (illness perceptions). METHODS: Dutch (n = 116) and Japanese (n = 148) women with early breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire immediately before their second cycle of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Dutch women reported poorer Physical, Role, Emotional, and Cognitive functioning than Japanese women. Additionally, illness perceptions were significantly different in Japan and the Netherlands, but these did not vary across treatment type. In Japan, QoL of women receiving AC-chemotherapy was better than that of women receiving FEC-chemotherapy, whereas in the Netherlands, QoL did not vary as a function of chemotherapy. Illness perceptions about symptom severity, adverse consequences, and emotional representations were negatively related to most domains of patients' QoL in both countries. Adding illness perceptions as covariates to the ANOVA analyses rendered the effects of country and treatment type on QoL non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing Dutch and Japanese women with early breast cancer revealed important differences in treatment modalities and illness perceptions which both appear to influence QoL. Perceptions about cancer have been found to vary across cultures, and our study suggests that these perceptions should be considered when performing cross-cultural studies focusing on patient-reported outcomes.
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Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/administración & dosificación , Neoplasias de la Mama/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias de la Mama/psicología , Quimioterapia/psicología , Calidad de Vida/psicología , Adulto , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapéutico , Comparación Transcultural , Femenino , Humanos , Japón , Persona de Mediana Edad , Países Bajos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Testicular cancer patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which might be related to the increased prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in this group of patients. METHODS: We assessed the prevalence of MetS and calculated the 10-year CVD risk in a cohort of 255 testicular germ cell tumour survivors (median age, 38.7 years; interquartile range, 31-48) at a mean of 7.8 years after anti-cancer treatment, and compared these with data obtained from 360 healthy men. RESULTS: Survivors had an age-adjusted increased risk for MetS of 1.9 compared with that of healthy controls. The risk for MetS was highest in survivors treated with combination chemotherapy (CT) 2.3 (Adult Treatment Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program classification) and 2.2 (International Diabetes Federation classification). The risk of MetS was especially increased in survivors with testosterone levels in the lowest quartile (OR, 2.5). Ten-year cardiovascular risk as assessed by the Framingham Risk Score (3.0%) and Systemic Coronary Risk Evaluation (1.7%) algorithms was low, independent of treatment, and was comparable to controls. CONCLUSION: Testicular germ cell tumour survivors have an increased prevalence of MetS, with hypogonadism and CT treatment being clear risk factors for the development of the syndrome. The increased prevalence of MetS was not associated with an increased 10-year cardiovascular risk.
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Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/epidemiología , Hipogonadismo/epidemiología , Síndrome Metabólico/epidemiología , Neoplasias de Células Germinales y Embrionarias/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias de Células Germinales y Embrionarias/epidemiología , Neoplasias Testiculares/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Testiculares/epidemiología , Adulto , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Carboplatino/uso terapéutico , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/complicaciones , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/mortalidad , Estudios Transversales , Quimioterapia Combinada , Humanos , Hipogonadismo/complicaciones , Masculino , Síndrome Metabólico/complicaciones , Persona de Mediana Edad , Neoplasias de Células Germinales y Embrionarias/complicaciones , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , Sobrevivientes , Neoplasias Testiculares/complicaciones , Testosterona/sangreRESUMEN
AIM: The study included investigation of factors determining suboptimal adjuvant chemotherapy of patients diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer. METHOD: All 606 patients diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer between 2006 and 2008 in the western part of the Netherlands were included. Patient [gender, age, comorbidity and socio-economic status (SES)], tumour (location, stage and grade) and treatment (emergency surgery, laparoscopic surgery, reoperation, hospital stay and multidisciplinary meeting) factors were examined in logistic regression analyses predicting a complicated postoperative period and omission, delay and discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Overall, 27% of all patients experienced a complicated postoperative period, which was independently associated with emergency surgery, older age, multiple comorbidity, male gender and poor tumour grade. Of patients who survived this period, 60% received chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was omitted more often in women, the elderly and in patients with Stage IIIB, reoperation, prolonged hospital stay and (borderline) after open surgery. Of patients who received chemotherapy, 86% started within 8 weeks after surgery. Patients with a higher SES, reoperation and prolonged hospital stay had a higher probability of a delayed start. Sixty-seven per cent of patients completed their chemotherapy. For women, elderly patients and patients with prolonged hospital stay a higher probability of discontinuation was noted. CONCLUSION: Age was the most important predictive factor for receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. However, at all ages, complicated postoperative recovery negatively influenced the administration of chemotherapy to Stage III colon cancer patients, as well as a timely start and completion of chemotherapy.
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Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Carcinoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma/cirugía , Neoplasias del Colon/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias del Colon/cirugía , Complicaciones Posoperatorias , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Carcinoma/patología , Quimioterapia Adyuvante , Neoplasias del Colon/patología , Comorbilidad , Urgencias Médicas , Femenino , Humanos , Tiempo de Internación , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Clasificación del Tumor , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Reoperación , Factores Sexuales , Clase Social , Factores de Tiempo , Privación de TratamientoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition is known to decrease capillary density. Decreased capillary density may be the basis for VEGF inhibitor-related side-effects. We investigated whether the effects of bevacizumab on capillary density are reversible. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Capillary density, assessed by sidestream dark field imaging of the mucosal surface of the lip, was measured at baseline, after 6 weeks of bevacizumab treatment and >3 months after discontinuation. Additional measurements included blood pressure (BP) measurements, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NMD) and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: Fourteen patients were included. Seven patients completed measurements at all three predefined time points. Capillary density significantly decreased after 6 weeks of bevacizumab treatment and was reversible after discontinuation of bevacizumab (P = 0.00001 using a general linear model repeated measures test). BP, FMD and NMD remained unchanged. Mean PWV increased after 6 weeks of treatment (P = 0.027) and decreased after bevacizumab discontinuation. Among the six patients with the best response were the three patients showing the clearest decrease in capillary density after 6 weeks of bevacizumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab-induced decrease in capillary density is reversible. Noninvasive assessment of capillary density during treatment with antiangiogenic drugs may be useful as a marker of treatment efficacy.
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Inhibidores de la Angiogénesis/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias de la Mama/tratamiento farmacológico , Capilares/efectos de los fármacos , Neoplasias Colorrectales/tratamiento farmacológico , Labio/irrigación sanguínea , Anciano , Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados , Bevacizumab , Presión Sanguínea/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Microcirculación/efectos de los fármacos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Resultado del Tratamiento , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/antagonistas & inhibidoresRESUMEN
PURPOSE: We investigated whether the association of interleukin-2 (IL-2) with hypothyroidism is related to the presence of thyroid autoantibodies, dose of IL-2, and clinical effectiveness of treatment, and reviewed the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixteen cancer patients were treated with high-dose recombinant, continuous infusion IL-2 (18 x 10(6) IU/m2/d) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. One patient previously treated for a toxic goiter with radioactive iodine was analyzed separately. Thyroid function and levels of thyroid antibodies were determined regularly. RESULTS: Seven of 15 patients (47%) became hypothyroid with high serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels within 60 to 120 days after the start of treatment; five responded favorably to treatment (one complete remission [CR], four partial remissions [PRs]), compared with none of the other eight patients. Two hypothyroid patients developed antimicrosomal antibodies (AMAs), one showed a further increase of antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAbs), and six developed TgAbs. Only one of eight euthyroid patients developed slightly elevated TgAb levels. Development of hypothyroidism correlated significantly with a favorable response to treatment (r = .76, P = .001). The patient, treated with radioactive iodine, also became hypothyroid with high levels of TSH and development of AMAs and TgAbs. No difference was found between the hypothyroid and euthyroid patients in mean cumulative dose of IL-2 administered within the first 60 days or total treatment period, or with the relative dose-intensity. No other autoantibodies were found and patients had normal corticotropin (ACTH) stimulation tests. CONCLUSION: The likelihood of developing (transient) hypothyroidism is higher in patients who respond to IL-2 treatment. The development of antithyroid antibodies suggests that IL-2 treatment triggers autoreactive B-cell clones or that cellular and/or cytokine-mediated thyroid destruction leads to activation of autoreactive B-cell clones.
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Autoanticuerpos/sangre , Hipotiroidismo/inducido químicamente , Hipotiroidismo/inmunología , Interleucina-2/efectos adversos , Glándula Tiroides/inmunología , Adulto , Anciano , Carcinoma de Células Renales/secundario , Carcinoma de Células Renales/terapia , Femenino , Humanos , Interleucina-2/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias Renales/terapia , Células Asesinas Activadas por Linfocinas/trasplante , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Proteínas Recombinantes/efectos adversos , Proteínas Recombinantes/uso terapéutico , Hormonas Tiroideas/sangreRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk of major thromboembolic complications in male germ cell cancer patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy and to review the literature on this subject. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred seventy-nine germ cell cancer patients treated between January 1979 and May 1997 in our hospital were analyzed with respect to risk factors for developing thromboembolic events, such as baseline tumor characteristics, prior tumor therapy, administration of cytostatic agents, and the use of antiemetic drugs. The patients were treated with a variety of combination chemotherapy regimens, primarily cisplatin-containing combination regimens. RESULTS: Of the 179 patients, 15 patients (8.4%) were identified who developed a total of 18 major thromboembolic complications in the time period between the start of chemotherapy and 6 weeks after administration of the last cytostatic drug in first-line treatment. Of these 18 events, three (16.7%) were arterial events, including two cerebral ischemic strokes, and 15 (83. 3%) were venous thromboembolic events, including 11 pulmonary embolisms. One (5.6%) of the 18 events was fatal. Liver metastases (odds ratio, 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 20.8) and the administration of high doses of corticosteroids (>/= 80 mg dexamethasone per cycle; odds ratio, 3.5; 95% confidence interval, 1. 2 to 10.3) as antiemetic therapy were identified as risk factors for the development of major thromboembolic complications. CONCLUSION: Germ cell cancer patients who receive chemotherapy, in particular those who have liver metastases or receive high doses of corticosteroids, are at considerable risk of developing thromboembolic complications.
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Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/efectos adversos , Cisplatino/efectos adversos , Germinoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Testiculares/tratamiento farmacológico , Tromboembolia/inducido químicamente , Bleomicina/efectos adversos , Estudios de Cohortes , Humanos , Incidencia , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Tromboembolia/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Thirty-three metastatic melanoma patients were vaccinated according to a phase I-II study with an allogeneic melanoma cell line that was genetically modified by transfection with a plasmid containing the gene encoding human interleukin 2 (IL-2). The cell line expresses the major melanoma-associated antigens and the HLA class I alleles HLA-A1, -A2, -B8, and Cw7. All patients shared one or more HLA class I alleles with this cell line vaccine. Patients were immunized by three vaccinations, each consisting of 60 x 106 irradiated (100 Gy) melanoma cells (secreting 120 ng of IL-2/10(6) cells/24 hr) administered subcutaneously at weekly intervals for 3 consecutive weeks. Side effects of treatment consisted of swelling of locoregional lymph nodes and induration at the site of injection, i.e., a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction. In three patients, vaccination induced inflammatory responses in distant metastases containing necrosis or apoptosis along with T cell infiltration. Apoptosis occurred only in Bcl-2-negative areas, not in Bcl-2-expressing parts of the metastases. Two other patients experienced complete or partial regression of subcutaneous metastases. Seven patients had protracted stabilization (4 to >46 months) of soft tissue metastases, including one patient who developed vitiligo after vaccination. Immune responses to the vaccine could be detected in 67% of the 27 patients measured. Vaccination was shown to induce a variable change in the number of anti-vaccine cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in peripheral blood, which did not correlate with response to treatment. However, in two of five patients the frequency of anti-autologous tumor CTLs measured was significantly higher than before vaccination. This study demonstrates the feasibility, safety, and therapeutic potential of vaccination of humans with allogeneic, gene-modified tumor cells, and that frequencies of vaccine-specific CTLs among patient lymphocytes can be determined by using a modified limited dilution analysis (LDA).
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Vacunas contra el Cáncer/farmacología , Interleucina-2/metabolismo , Melanoma/secundario , Melanoma/terapia , Adulto , Anciano , Antígenos de Neoplasias/genética , Vacunas contra el Cáncer/genética , Femenino , Antígeno HLA-A1/metabolismo , Antígeno HLA-A2/metabolismo , Antígeno HLA-B8/metabolismo , Antígenos HLA-C/metabolismo , Humanos , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Inflamación/inmunología , Interleucina-2/genética , Interleucina-2/farmacología , Antígeno MART-1 , Masculino , Melanoma/mortalidad , Antígenos Específicos del Melanoma , Persona de Mediana Edad , Monofenol Monooxigenasa/genética , Proteínas de Neoplasias/genética , Tasa de Supervivencia , Linfocitos T Citotóxicos/inmunología , Resultado del Tratamiento , Células Tumorales CultivadasRESUMEN
Cisplatin-induced toxicities are mainly caused by the formation of free radicals, leading to oxidative organ damage. Plasma concentrations of antioxidants decrease significantly during cisplatin chemotherapy for cancer. Forty-eight cancer patients treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy were randomised in a double-blind manner to receive either supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium dissolved in a beverage or to receive a placebo beverage. Primary outcome measures were the amount of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity induced by cisplatin. No significant differences were found between the two study groups with respect to these primary outcome measures. However, patients who achieved the highest plasma concentrations of the three antioxidant micronutrients had significantly less loss of high-tone hearing. In addition, significant correlations were found between the reduced/oxidised vitamin C ratio and malondialdehyde (MDA), markers of oxidative stress, and cisplatin-induced ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. The lack of protection against cisplatin-induced toxicities in patients in the intervention arm may be related to poor compliance and/or inadequate supplementation. Supplementation with a higher dose (intensity) and in combination with other antioxidants should be investigated further.
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Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Antioxidantes/administración & dosificación , Cisplatino/efectos adversos , Suplementos Dietéticos , Micronutrientes/administración & dosificación , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Ácido Ascórbico/administración & dosificación , Ácido Ascórbico/sangre , Cisplatino/administración & dosificación , Método Doble Ciego , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Malondialdehído/sangre , Persona de Mediana Edad , Selenio/administración & dosificación , Selenio/sangre , Vitamina E/administración & dosificación , Vitamina E/sangreRESUMEN
A total of 27 patients with various types of cancer were treated with cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy. Out of these, 13 patients were randomized to receive supplementation treatment with a beverage containing the antioxidants vitamins C and E, plus selenium, during chemotherapy. The antioxidant mixture was administered to investigate whether it could reduce the potential genotoxic and nephrotoxic effect of the applied chemotherapy. A placebo group of 14 cancer patients received a beverage without selenium or antioxidants. Micronuclei (MN) in cytochalasin B-blocked binucleate (BN) peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) mutants in PBLs were studied before, during and after chemotherapy as a measure for chemotherapy-induced genotoxic effects. Before chemotherapy, patients mean frequencies of MN and HPRT mutants did not differ from those in a group of 10 healthy subjects. The mean frequency of MN in patients increased significantly after one cycle of chemotherapy (P=0.002). This frequency was still elevated at 2 months after the completion of chemotherapy (not significantly). There was no significant difference in micronuclei frequency (MNF) between the antioxidant and placebo group of patients. Chemotherapy-induced frequencies of MN after three cycles of chemotherapy correlated significantly with the cumulative dose of cisplatin (r=0.58, P=0.012) and the cisplatin-mediated loss of renal function (r=0.53, P=0.03). No consistent change in HPRT mutant frequency following chemotherapy was observed in the placebo and antioxidant group of patients. In conclusion, cisplatin-combination chemotherapy resulted in a cisplatin dose-related increase of the frequency of chromosomal damage. Supplementation with antioxidants did not prevent or reduce this effect.
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Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/toxicidad , Antioxidantes/administración & dosificación , Aberraciones Cromosómicas/inducido químicamente , Trastornos de los Cromosomas , Linfocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapéutico , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Ácido Ascórbico/administración & dosificación , Ácido Ascórbico/sangre , Cromosomas/efectos de los fármacos , Cromosomas/genética , Cisplatino/administración & dosificación , Análisis Mutacional de ADN , Suplementos Dietéticos , Femenino , Audición/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Hipoxantina Fosforribosiltransferasa/genética , Riñón/efectos de los fármacos , Linfocitos/citología , Masculino , Pruebas de Micronúcleos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas de Mutagenicidad , Selenio/administración & dosificación , Selenio/sangre , Vitamina E/administración & dosificación , Vitamina E/sangreRESUMEN
The incidence and the severity of chemotherapy-associated oral mucositis were determined in a retrospective analysis of 150 patients with various solid tumors. In addition, possible risk factors for the development of mucositis were identified. Patients were treated with chemotherapeutic regimens appropriate to tumor type and disease stage on an in- or outpatient basis. Mucositis was scored using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Eighty-seven episodes of mucositis occurred in 47 (31%) patients. Twenty-six patients each experienced only one episode, whereas 21 patients had up to eight episodes of mucositis. The 1,281 chemotherapy cycles that have been analyzed included 87 cycles in which mucositis was observed. In 16 patients (11%) only slight oral mucosal changes were recorded (maximum WHO score 1), while 25 patients (17%) experienced mild to moderate mucositis (maximum WHO score 2), and in 6 patients (4%) mucositis was moderate to severe (maximum WHO score 3). No grade 4 mucositis developed. In 24 of the 47 patients with mucositis (51%) clinical features of acute pseudomembranous candidiasis were present. Leukopenia, leukopenic fever, and use of corticosteroids and central venous catheters were associated with the chemotherapy cycles with mucositis. Multivariate analysis identified the administration of paclitaxel, doxorubicin, or etoposide as independent risk factor (adjusted rate ratios 8.06, 7.35, and 6.70, respectively), whereas low body mass was associated with a slightly increased risk (adjusted rate ratio 0.92) for the development of mucositis. In conclusion, almost one-third of patients receiving chemotherapy for solid tumors experienced one or more episodes of mild to more severe oral mucositis, indicating that this is a frequent complication in such patients.
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Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Estomatitis/inducido químicamente , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Incidencia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mucosa Bucal/patología , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Estomatitis/epidemiología , Estomatitis/patologíaRESUMEN
Non-protein bound iron (NPBI) is able to catalyse oxidative reactions, causing damage to vital structures. Adverse effects induced by cisplatin seem, in part, to be mediated by free radicals. In the present study, we have measured plasma NPBI, various other iron parameters and antioxidants in 28 cancer patients undergoing cisplatin-based chemotherapy at various time points before and during chemotherapy. No NPBI was present prior to therapy, but within 1-4 days following the first administration of chemotherapy, mean NPBI rose significantly to 10.6+/-6.6 micromol/l (range, 0.6-21.3 micromol/l) in 18 (64.3%) of the 28 patients measured. The rise in NPBI was accompanied by a significant rise in total plasma iron and ferritin and a marked decrease in the latent iron-binding capacity. Concomitantly, plasma vitamins C and E decreased significantly, indicating consumption of antioxidants. Similar observations were also made during the fourth chemotherapy cycle. The increase in NPBI preceded and correlated significantly with chemotherapy toxicity, such as a decrease in leucocyte count and haemoglobin, with a transient rise in various liver enzymes and with known cisplatin-related toxicity, i.e. the loss of renal and hearing function. In conclusion, cisplatin chemotherapy induces oxidative damage which rapidly leads to release of iron from intracellular proteins and the appearance of NPBI. Bone marrow, red blood cells, liver and kidney seem to be a likely source of NPBI. The observed high levels of NPBI may be a major causative determinant in chemotherapy-induced toxicity.
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Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapéutico , Germinoma/tratamiento farmacológico , Hierro/sangre , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/efectos adversos , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Ácido Ascórbico/sangre , Ácido Ascórbico/uso terapéutico , Cisplatino/administración & dosificación , Cisplatino/efectos adversos , Femenino , Ferritinas/sangre , Germinoma/sangre , Audición/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Proteínas de Unión a Hierro , Riñón/efectos de los fármacos , Riñón/fisiopatología , Hígado/efectos de los fármacos , Hígado/fisiopatología , Masculino , Malondialdehído/sangre , Persona de Mediana Edad , Vitamina E/sangre , Vitamina E/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Antioxidants protect the body against cellular oxidative damage and thus some of the adverse effects induced by cisplatin and other cytostatic drugs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The effect of cisplatin-combination chemotherapy on concentrations of plasma antioxidants was studied in 36 cancer patients, including osteosarcoma and testicular carcinoma patients. RESULTS: Eight to 15 days after the start of each cytostatic drug infusion concentrations of various plasma antioxidants were measured and compared to pretreatment values: vitamin C and E, uric acid and ceruloplasmin levels fell significantly (P < 0.01-0.005) and returned to baseline levels before the start of the next chemotherapy cycle. Levels of the antioxidants bilirubin albumin and the ratio vitamin E/cholesterol + triglycerides measured three weeks after the start of chemotherapy significantly decreased compared to pretreatment levels and remained low thereafter (P < 0.001-0.002). Dietary intake of antioxidants and anthropometric measurements, evaluated in 14 patients did not change during the whole treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Cisplatin-combination chemotherapy induces a fall in plasma antioxidant levels, that may reflect a failure of the antioxidant defense mechanism against oxidative damage induced by commonly used anticancer drugs. This probably results from consumption of antioxidants caused by chemotherapy induced-oxidative stress as well as renal loss of water-soluble, small molecular weight antioxidants such as uric acid.