Technological preferences of aging cancer patients for delivery services and devices to solve drug-related problems in oncology.

Aim: To identify the technological preferences of aging cancer patients with regard to the delivery services and devices for preventing/solving three common drug-related problems (DRPs): medication nonadherence, lack of knowledge in medications, and side effects management.

Methods: A survey was conducted at a cancer center from May to August 2011. Delivery services included in the interviewer-administered questionnaire included voice-activated dispensing, voice reminders, electronic messages, helplines, and mobile phone applications, among others.

Impact of cancer-related fatigue on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Asian cancer patients.

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) has been suggested to be associated with the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). This study aims to evaluate the potential of CRF in predicting the occurrence of CINV.

Method: This is a prospective, observational study.

Affordability of cancer treatment for aging cancer patients in Singapore: an analysis of health, lifestyle, and financial burden.

Background: With the expected rise in newly diagnosed cancer cases among the elderly in Singapore, the affordability of cancer treatments, particularly of targeted therapies, will be a growing concern for patients. This study examines the perspectives of aging cancer patients on the financial burden of their cancer treatments.

Methods: A single-center, prospective study was conducted in the largest ambulatory cancer center in Singapore.

Antiemetic effectiveness and nausea and vomiting incidence during capecitabine and oxaliplatin chemotherapy.

Background: Capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) chemotherapy causes nausea and vomiting, despite adequate administration of antiemetics. Furthermore, specific risk factors that increase this risk are not elucidated.

Objective: To appraise the effectiveness of antiemetics to prevent XELOX-induced nausea and vomiting.

Assessment of the relationship between adherence with antiemetic drug therapy and control of nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Background: There are little prevalence data in the literature on nonadherence to outpatient antiemetic regimens for prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). It is unclear whether adherence with outpatient antiemetic regimens is associated with better CINV control. Our previous survey research supports the work of clinical pharmacists in collaborative practice with medical oncologists in improving adherence with antiemetic therapy in women undergoing highly emetic chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Exploring Chemotherapy-Induced Toxicities through Multivariate Projection of Risk Factors: Prediction of Nausea and Vomiting.

Many risk factors exist for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). This study utilized a multivariate projection technique to identify which risk factors were predictive of CINV in clinical practice. A single-centre, prospective, observational study was conducted from January 2007~July 2010 in Singapore.

Computational prediction of state anxiety in Asian patients with cancer susceptible to chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

State anxiety, a risk factor for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), is a subjective symptom and difficult to quantify. Clinicians need appropriate anxiety measures to assess patients' risks of CINV. This study aimed to determine the anxiety characteristics that can predict CINV based on computational analysis of an objective assessment tool.

Electronic database to detect drug-drug interactions between antidepressants and oral anticancer drugs from a cancer center in Singapore: implications to clinicians.

Background: Electronic drug interaction databases are often utilized in clinical practice to detect for possible drug-drug interactions between drug pairs. It is uncertain, however, whether most of these detections interactions are clinically important in practice. To demonstrate these issues, this study utilized a comprehensive drug-drug interaction (DDI) electronic database to elucidate the prevalence of DDIs at a cancer centre between antidepressants and oral anticancer drugs (ACDs).