[Influence of the Timing of Cessation of or Withholding Chemotherapy and End-of-Life Care at Home in Patients with Incurable Solid Cancers-An Interim Report of the Results of the Questionnaire Survey among Home Care Physicians in Japan].

BACKGROUND: The study analyzed data obtained using a questionnaire on the potential discriminative characteristics of patients with an incurable solidcancer who receivedor didnot receive palliative chemotherapy during end-of-life care at home. From the standpoint of regional palliative care, we aimed to investigate the influence of the timing of cessation of or withholding chemotherapy andend -of-life care at home in patients with incurable solidcancers. We plannedthe project to obtain scientific evidence about the timing of cessation of or withholding chemotherapy. METHODS: The study included all patients with solidcancers treatedwith or without palliative chemotherapy who diedat home in 2016 in Japan. We distributed postcards of the invitation to participate in the questionnaire survey to more than 2000 home care physicians in Japan. The questionnaires administeredto home care physicians were registeredin website surveys from May to November 2017. The questionnaire data were analyzed using nonparametric methods. RESULTS: We previously obtained information from 576 patients at 170 medical facilities from May to August 2017. As we continue the study, we release an interim report of the questionnaire survey among home care physicians. Of the patients, from the time of diagnosis of the incurable solid cancer, 40% hadreceivedchemotherapy and6 0% hadnot. CONCLUSION: The 60% of patients who didnot undergo chemotherapy since diagnosis were a problem to our projects. However, as we continue the questionnaire survey, we would like to analyze the data from the returned questionnaires.

[Reduction of oxaliplatin-related neurotoxicity by calcium and magnesium infusions].

PURPOSE: Oxaliplatin in combination with infusional 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFOX) have emerged as the standard of care in the therapy of advanced-stage colorectal cancer. Sensory neurotoxicity is its dose-limiting toxicity. We decided to use Ca and Mg for prevention of oxaliplatin-related neurotoxicity with reference to the report of Gamelin et al. METHODS: The subjects were 14 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Oxaliplatin (85 mg/m(2)) was given intravenously as FOLFOX regimen. All 14 patients received infusions of Ca gluconate and Mg sulfate before and after oxaliplatin. RESULTS: Only 1 patient had grade 3 toxicity (nausea and vomiting). Sensory neuropathy occurred in 8 patients (57.1%). There was no neurotoxicity with functional impairment in this study. Sensory neuropathy hardly occurred before 4 cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Ca/Mg infusions seem to prevent acute oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxic.