[Efficacy of a Dexamethasone Dose Escalation Regimen with a Cumulative Dose for Preventing Oxaliplatin Hypersensitivity Reactions].

Oxaliplatin is a platinum complex antineoplastic agent widely used for chemotherapy of colorectal cancer. However, one of its side effects is hypersensitivity reactions, the incidence of which increases with a cumulative dose, thereby posing a difficulty to continue oxaliplatin use. Our hospital changed the premedication of oxaliplatin in August 2009 and September 2012.

Effect of proton pump inhibitors on the development of hypomagnesemia induced by panitumumab.

Panitumumab, a therapeutic agent for unresectable advanced/recurrent colorectal cancer, is a human IgG2 monoclonal antibody that binds to and inhibits the activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The onset of hypomagnesemia is a known side effect of anti-EGFR inhibitors, including panitumumab, and it is thought that inhibition of reabsorption of Mg in renal tubules is one of the causes. In addition, recent reports have shown that long-term administration of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) reduces serum magnesium levels.

[Changes in Medical Safety Interventions Conducted by Ward-based Pharmacists since the Introduction of Their Services in Complex Medical Ward].

Despite an increase in the number of reports on medical safety interventions conducted by ward-based pharmacists, only a few reports have classified intervention cases in detail. We classified and compared the types of medical safety intervention conducted by ward-based pharmacists since the introduction of their services. The interventions were classified into: cases that were identified by pharmacists or through asking questions about physicians' prescriptions before dispensing medications (active interventions); and those in which pharmacy technicians could contribute to medical safety by receiving inquiries from patients or healthcare providers (passive interventions).

[Nutritional assessment employing the malnutrition universal screening tool for patients with colorectal cancer undergoing outpatient chemotherapy].

Objective: We surveyed the nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer undergoing outpatient chemotherapy using the malnutrition universal screening tool(MUST)to examine its usefulness and association with adverse events.

Methods: We examined the use of the MUST and the incidences of adverse events in 34 patients with advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer who had undergone outpatient chemotherapy between April and December 2010.

Results: The high-risk patients requiring nutritional care intervention comprised 47.