Effectiveness of the etiology-based antiemetic recommendations by a palliative care team for nausea in cancer patients

ABSTRACT

<b>Purpose</b> To clarify the effect of a palliative care team intervention for nausea of cancer patients. <b>Methods</b> The study participants were all cancer patients who were referred to a palliative care team in Yodogawa Christian Hospital in 2010, and had nausea with score 2 or over of the Support Team Assessment Schedule Japanese version (STAS－J). The causes of nausea were classified into 4 categories. Etiology－based antiemetic medications were recommended, and the intensities of nausea were assessed using the STAS－J on the day of referral, and 7 days after. <b>Result</b> Among 27 patients were recruited for this study, 24 were assessed 7 days after. Nine patients had chemically induced nausea, eight had impaired gastric emptying, four had vestibular and central nervous system disturbance, and three had bowel obstruction. The mean STAS－J score significantly decreased from 3.0 (SD, 0.55) on the day of referral to 1.1 (0.80) after 7 days (<i>p</i>＜0.001). Two patients had mild drowsiness. <b>Conclusion</b> The recommendations of etiology－based antiemetics by the palliative care team may be effective for managing nausea in cancer patients.