A Study on Chemotherapy Induced Toxicities among Hospitalized Patients in Oncology Ward

Abstract

Background: Chemotherapy is an effective cancer treatment but chemotherapy-induced toxicity remains a major concern, as it can significantly affect patients' quality of life, lead to treatment intolerance and in some cases necessitate the discontinuation of therapy.Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study analysis of chemotherapy-induced toxicities conducted. Research done at Omega Cancer Specialty Hospital, Hyderabad for six-months duration in In-patient department of oncology ward. Study initiated after approval from Institutional ethics committee and obtaining the informed consent form patients. Above 16 years, both genders and patients with co-morbidities were included. Out-patients, cases below 16 years, pregnant women, nursing mothers and terminally ill patients excluded from study. SPSS version 24 implemented for statistical analysis. Confidence interval 95% and pvalue <0.05 considered significant. Associations between socio-demographic and clinical variables and chemotherapy-induced toxicities were evaluated using chi-square tests.Results: Out of 221 cases total of 349 chemotherapy-induced toxicities were documented. Majorly observed toxicities were leukopenia (31%), anemia (26%), and thrombocytopenia (24%). Females (67%) were more susceptible to toxicities than males (33%). Furthermore, patients aged (50-59) years were found to be at a higher risk of developing toxicity. Toxicity incidence was notably higher of 17% in patients undergoing dual therapy with (Paclitaxel and carboplatin) combination and during the second cycle of treatment.Conclusion: Chemotherapy-induced toxicities often lead to treatment delays, which can have detrimental consequences. Early identification can play a crucial role in clinical management, allowing for timely modifications in drug regimens to minimize toxicity and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: Adverse Drug Reactions; Chemotherapy-Induced Toxicity; Hematological Toxicity; Prescription Pattern; Leukopenia