Chan, Alexandre, Shih, K., Yap, Kevin Yi-Lwern, Tan, S. H. (Seow-Hwei) and Low, Xiu Hui. (2010) Clinical predictors for emesis in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy: do Asians measure up? Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol.28 (Suppl.1). Abstract: e19603. ISSN 0732-183X

Abstract

Background: In a post hoc analysis of 856 breast cancer patients (majority Caucasians) receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (Warr et al., MASCC 2009), patient characteristics, including young age, low alcohol consumption, and history of morning sickness, were associated with higher risks for emesis (E). However, whether these risk factors predict for E in the Asian population is unknown. This is the largest study to date that establishes the association of these predictors in a similar treatment cohort of Asian cancer patients through analysis of E events. Methods: This is a prospective, observational study conducted at the largest cancer center in Singapore from 2006 to 2009. On the day of chemotherapy, patients' demographics were retrieved via interview. They were also given a standardized 5-day diary to document their E events. Multiple logistic regressions were used to analyze the impact of these predictors on acute and delayed E. Results: 244 eligible women (mean 50 ± 8.9 years) were recruited. Incidences of acute and delayed E were 23.5% and 25.4% respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that young age (OR=2.13, 95%CI 1.13-4.02), histories of motion sickness (OR=2.44, 95%CI 1.17-5.08) and chemotherapy-induced E (OR=2.95, 95%CI 1.20-7.26) were significantly associated with increased likelihoods of acute E, while the latter two predictors were also significantly associated with increased likelihoods of delayed E (OR=2.29, 95%CI 1.13-4.64 and OR=2.42, 95%CI 1.03-5.69 respectively). Conclusions: In Asians, histories of motion sickness and chemotherapy-induced E are important predictors, but alcohol history and history of morning sickness are less likely to play a role. Clinicians should aware of the differences in E predictors between Asians and non-Asians.

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