To clarify the difficulties in dealing with adverse events in oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT),we retrospectively investigated items in clinical and pharmaceutical records which included incidence of adverse reactions,frequency of supportive treatment,and problems encountered by medical staff.The concomitant chemotherapy these patients received consisted of cisplatin or carboplatin plus 5-fluorouracil.
We noted high incidences of neutropenia,leukocytopenia,pharyngeal mucositis,xerostomia,taste disturbances and eating disorders.Many patients had discontinued supportive therapy drugs in the course of treatment,and about half of the patients felt anxiety concerning medications for pain such as acetaminophen or opioids,or refused them.We worked out solutions to these problems and based on them,prepared an explanatory brochure on supportive therapy for patients.
Though CCRT has been established as a standard treatment for pharyngeal cancer,we are concerned about the severity of complications due to adverse reactions to the concomitant use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.We still do not have sufficient experience in providing pharmaceutical care for CCRT but hope that our efforts will contribute to improving pharmaceutical care and patient’s quality of life.
