The effect of auricular acupressure on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy among breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of auricular acupressure in relieving nausea and vomiting among the women who received chemotherapy. METHODS: 48 women suffering from Breast Cancer and receiving chemotherapy were recruited for the study. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups of experiment and control. In the initial phase of chemotherapy, the experimental group received standard medications to control nausea and vomiting and auricular acupressure for five days. Meanwhile, the control group received only the standard medications. RESULTS: The use of auricular acupressure led to the decrease in the number and intensity of nausea and vomiting in both the acute and delayed phases in experimental group which were significantly lower than the control group (P = 0/001). CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that nurses use this pressure technique as a complementary treatment, non - pharmacological, inexpensive, non-invasive approach for the relief of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Results of treatment of acute myeloid leukemia in central part of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common type of leukemia. In this study, outcome of intensive chemotherapy in patients treated in a large urban public university hospital in a developing country was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of all patients treated for AML with 3 + 7 protocol from 2002 to 2010 were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 95 patients, 34 (35.8%) were female and 61 (64.2%) were male patients. Patients' median age was 37 years, ranging 15-68 years. Complete remission (CR) was observed in 56 (58.9%) of patients treated with this protocol. Median overall survival was 13 months (95% CI: 8.8-17.1 months). The 1-year AML survival rate was 51%, and 2-year survival rate was 26%. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that in our center in Iran, CR rates and median overall survival rates after induction chemotherapy are less than developed countries.