The clinical effect of an electric massage chair on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients: randomized phase II cross-over trial.

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a common adverse events in cancer patients and can negatively affect their quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of an electric massage chair (EMC) for the treatment of CINV. METHODS: A randomized phase II cross-over trial was conducted on solid cancer patients who received moderate (MEC) to high emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). The participants were randomly assigned to receive their first chemotherapy either on a standard bed (Group A) or in an EMC (Group B) during the infusion. The patients were then crossed over to the next cycle. CINV and QoL questionnaires were collected from the participants. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients completed the trial protocol and were included in the analysis, with 29 and 30 patients in Groups A and B, respectively. The mean INVR (Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching) score in the 2nd day of the first cycle was higher in Group B (3.63 ± 5.35) than Group A (2.76 ± 4.78), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.5367). The complete response rate showed little difference between the groups. Among the high-emetic risk subgroups, patients who received HEC (p = 0.04595), younger patients (p = 0.0108), and non-colorectal cancer patients (p = 0.0495) presented significantly lower CINV scores when EMC was applied. CONCLUSION: Overall, there was no significant difference in INVR scores between standard care and EMC. Applying EMC at the first chemotherapy infusion may help preserve QoL and reduce CINV in high-risk patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: KCT0008200, 17/02/2023, Retrospectively registered.

Blood transfusion has an adverse impact on the prognosis of patients receiving chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer: experience from a single institution with a patient blood management program.

PURPOSE: Perioperative blood transfusion in early stage cancer patients had a negative effect on the prognosis of patients, but the prognostic impact of transfusion in advanced cancer patients remains unclear. To minimize and guide rational transfusion, an institutional patient blood management (PBM) program was launched, and we evaluated the new program that has changed the practice and impacted on the prognosis of advanced cancer patients. METHODS: We investigated the medical records of colorectal cancer patients who received chemotherapy from 2015 to 2020. The amount and frequency of transfusion, iron replacement and laboratory findings, and overall survival were compared before and after implementation of PBM. RESULTS: The rate of transfusion in colorectal cancer patients was significantly decreased from 23.5/100 person-quarter in 2015 to 1.2/100 person-quarter in 2020, but iron supplementation therapy was frequently used, and the proportion of patients who received transfusion under hemoglobin 7 g/dL significantly increased from 15.9% in 2015 to 55.3% in 2020. Multivariate analysis revealed that transfusion was a significant risk factor affecting the overall survival of patients (HR 2.70, 95% CI: 1.93-3.78, p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that overall survival was significantly longer in non-transfused patients than in transfused patients (11.0 versus 22.4 months; HR 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.86, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that minimized transfusion through an institutional PBM can positively affect the prognosis of patients who are receiving chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer.