Donovan Heidi S, Hagan Teresa L, Campbell Grace B, Boisen Michelle M, Rosenblum Leah M, Edwards Robert P, Bovbjerg Dana H, Horn Charles C
School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, 415 Victoria Building, 3500 Victoria Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, 5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA.
Support Care Cancer. 2016 Jun;24(6):2635-42. doi: 10.1007/s00520-015-3071-4. Epub 2016 Jan 8.
Nausea is a common and potentially serious effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer and may function as a sentinel symptom reflecting adverse effects on the gut-brain axis (GBA) more generally, but research is scant. As a first exploratory test of this GBA hypothesis, we compared women reporting nausea to women not reporting nausea with regard to the severity of other commonly reported symptoms in this patient population.
A secondary analysis of data systematically collected from women in active chemotherapy treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer (n = 158) was conducted. The Symptom Representation Questionnaire (SRQ) provided severity ratings for 22 common symptoms related to cancer and chemotherapy. Independent sample t tests and regression analyses were used to compare women with and without nausea with regard to their experience of other symptoms.
Nausea was reported by 89 (56.2 %) women. Symptoms that were significantly associated with nausea in bivariate and regression analyses included abdominal bloating, bowel disturbances, dizziness, depression, drowsiness, fatigue, headache, lack of appetite, memory problems, mood swings, shortness of breath, pain, sleep disturbance, urinary problems, vomiting, and weight loss. Symptoms that were not associated with nausea included hair loss, numbness and tingling, sexuality concerns, and weight gain.
Nausea experienced during chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer may be an indicator of broader effects on the gut-brain axis. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these effects could lead to the development of novel supportive therapies to increase the tolerability and effectiveness of cancer treatment.
恶心是复发性卵巢癌细胞毒性化疗常见且可能严重的副作用，可能更普遍地作为反映对肠-脑轴（GBA）产生不良反应的一个哨兵症状，但相关研究较少。作为对这一肠-脑轴假说的首次探索性试验，我们比较了报告有恶心症状的女性与未报告有恶心症状的女性在该患者群体中其他常见报告症状的严重程度。
对系统收集的158例接受复发性卵巢癌积极化疗的女性数据进行二次分析。症状表征问卷（SRQ）提供了与癌症和化疗相关的22种常见症状的严重程度评分。采用独立样本t检验和回归分析来比较有恶心症状和无恶心症状的女性在其他症状方面的体验。
89名（56.2%）女性报告有恶心症状。在双变量和回归分析中与恶心显著相关的症状包括腹胀、肠道功能紊乱、头晕、抑郁、嗜睡、疲劳、头痛、食欲不振、记忆问题、情绪波动、呼吸急促、疼痛、睡眠障碍、泌尿系统问题、呕吐和体重减轻。与恶心无关的症状包括脱发、麻木和刺痛、性方面的担忧以及体重增加。
复发性卵巢癌化疗期间出现的恶心可能是对肠-脑轴产生更广泛影响的一个指标。更好地理解这些影响背后的机制可能会促使开发新的支持性疗法，以提高癌症治疗的耐受性和有效性。
