Digestive symptoms as side effects of combination chemotherapy of docetaxel, nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil for head and neck cancer.

Background: The study was performed to determine the frequency of digestive symptoms in combination therapy of docetaxel, nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil for head and neck cancer.

Methods: Frequencies of digestive symptoms were retrospectively investigated in 91 patients. Data for 203 treatment courses were evaluated using the JCOG/JSCO National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events(v 4.0 in Japanese).

Results: The percentages of patients with nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, constipation, and diarrhea in the first course were 74%, 16%, 42%, 42%, and 13%, respectively. Nausea, vomiting and constipation started mostly on day 2 or 3 and peaked between day 5 and 7. Diarrhea and stomatitis began later and peaked between day 8 and 11. Nausea showed the highest frequencies, and in the late phase(day 6 to 14)of chemotherapy rather than the acute phase(day 1 to 5). Stratified analysis based on the occurrence of nausea and vomiting in previous course showed no significant influence in the frequency of nausea.And then, another stratified analyses showed higher frequency of vomiting and diarrhea in females, nausea in patients aged B65 years old.

Conclusion: Nausea occurred at an unexpectedly high frequency in the late phase of chemotherapy with docetaxel, nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil.