Factors related to nausea/vomiting in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

Abstract

Background: The incidence and severity of Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) vary from patient to patient and are dependent on the emetogenicity of chemotherapy agents. Understanding of the correlations between demographic characteristics and nausea/vomiting, nurses could provide early nursing interventions for preventing CINV, thereby alleviating patients’ discomfort.

Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. The purpose of this study was to understand the level of nausea/vomiting and related factors in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and to determine the correlations between demographic characteristics and nausea/vomiting. The participants were a total of 70 lung cancer patients who had received at least one cycle of Cisplatin (50-75 mg/m²) and had previous experience of nausea/vomiting during chemotherapy. A demographic data sheet and the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis were used to collect and monitor participants’ level of nausea and vomiting.

Results: Among the lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, 61.4% had moderate to severe nausea; 28.6% had mild to severe vomiting; 72.9% reported that the feeling of nausea lasted for 2 to 5 hours; 51.4% stated that the most severe nausea occurred during 12 and 24 hours after receiving chemotherapy. The patients with previous experience of motion sickness had higher level of nausea during chemotherapy (p = .036); the patients who received the sixth or more cycles of chemotherapy had higher level of vomiting during chemotherapy (p = .010); the patients who had higher level of nausea had higher frequency of additional use of antiemetics (p < .0001).

Conclusions: The results showed the patients with previous experience of motion sickness or those with additional use of antiemetics were likely to have higher level of nausea. Chemotherapy cycles were correlated with patients’ level of vomiting. Therefore, nurses should provide appropriate pre-chemotherapy nursing interventions for lung cancer patients with previous experience of motion sickness or those receiving the sixth or more cycles of chemotherapy to prevent the occurrence of nausea and vomiting.