Table 1. Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of the Study Population.

From: Pattern of Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with the Use of Anticancer Drugs in an Oncology-Based Hospital of Nepal

Characteristics Group Frequency
(%) N = 102
Age: Mean ± SD 49.93 ± 14.27
Age group (years) 15-29 10 (9.8)
30-44 18 (17.6)
45-59 45 (44.1)
60-74 25 (24.5)
>75 4 (3.9)
Sex Female 74 (72.5)
Male 28 (27.5)
Occupation Farmer 39 (38.2)
Housewife 31 (30.4)
Business 12 (11.8)
Student 5 (4.9)
Service 9 (8.8)
Others 6 (5.9)
Marital status Single 93 (91.2)
Married 7 (6.9)
Divorced 2 (2)
Cancer type Breast cancer 35 (34.3)
Lung cancer 15(14.7)
Ovarian cancer 8 (7.8)
Stomach cancer 6 (5.9)
Rectal cancer 6 (5.9)
Cervical cancer 4 (3.9)
Pancreatic Cancer 3 (2.9)
Immature teratoma 3 (2.9)
Urinary bladder cancer 3 (2.9)
Cholangiocarcinoma 2 (1.9)
Gallbladder Cancer 2 (1.9)
Choriocarcinoma 2 (1.9)
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) 2 (1.9)
Colon Cancer 1 (0.9)
Prostate Cancer 1 (0.9)
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) 1 (0.9)
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 1 (0.9)
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 1 (0.9)
Vulval Cancer 1 (0.9)
Oesophageal cancer 1 (0.9)
Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) 1 (0.9)
Periampullary cancer 1 (0.9)
Rectosigmoid cancer 1 (0.9)
Endometrial cancer 1 (0.9)
Stage of cancer I 7 (6.9)
II 28 (27.5)
III 25 (24.5)
IV 25 (24.5)
Stage not defined 17 (16.6)
Chemotherapy cycle Second 19 (18.6)
Third 28 (27.5)
Fourth 14 (13.7)
Fifth 20 (19.6)
Sixth 12 (11.8)
Seventh 3 (2.9)
Ninth 4 (3.9)
Others 2 (2)
Table 2. Types of Cancer and ADR Distribution According to Cancer Type.

From: Pattern of Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with the Use of Anticancer Drugs in an Oncology-Based Hospital of Nepal

Cancer type ADR frequency (%)
(N=861)
Breast cancer 304 (35.3)
Lung cancer 100 (11.6)
Ovarian cancer 65 (7.5)
Stomach cancer 52 (6.0)
Rectal cancer 51 (5.9)
Cervical cancer 35 (4.0)
Pancreatic cancer 15 (1.7)
Urinary bladder cancer 26 (3.0)
Immature teratoma 26 (3.0)
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) 21 (2.4)
Cholangiocarcinoma 22 (2.5)
Others* 144 (16.8)
Table 3. Pattern of ADRs Observed.

From: Pattern of Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with the Use of Anticancer Drugs in an Oncology-Based Hospital of Nepal

Pattern of Adverse drug reactions Frequency (%)
(N=102)
Fatigue 86 (84.3)
Anorexia 81 (79.4)
Alopecia 65 (63.7)
Constipation 44 (43.1)
Nausea 43 (42.1)
Neutropenia 42 (41.1)
Anemia 41 (40.2)
Vomiting 40 (39.2)
Neuropathy 37 (36.2)
Injection site reaction 32 (31.3)
Nail changes 27 (26.4)
Malaise 26 (25.4)
Edema 23 (22.5)
Taste changes 14 (13.7)
Weight changes 16 (15.6)
Diarrhea 17 (16.6)
Fever 19 (18.6)
Hyperpigmentation 14 (13.7)
Dyspepsia 13 (12.7)
Febrile neutropenia 10 (9.8)
Blood pressure changes 9 (8.8)
Burning micturition 9 (8.8)
Dyspnea 9 (8.8)
Thrombocytopenia 8 (7.8)
Irregular menses 7 (6.8)
Joint pain 7 (6.8)
Insomnia 7 (6.8)
Anaphylaxis 5 (4.9)
Difficulty swallowing 5 (4.9)
Infection 6 (5.8)
Irritability 5 (4.9)
Flatulence 5 (4.9)
Cough 4 (3.9)
Eye problems 2 (1.9)
Table 4. Drugs Responsible for Causing ADRs (Alone or in Combination).

From: Pattern of Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with the Use of Anticancer Drugs in an Oncology-Based Hospital of Nepal

Anticancer drugs Frequency (%) (N=861)
Cyclophosphamide 347 (40.3)
5-fluorouracil 284 (32.9)
Carboplatin 266 (30.9)
Gemcitabine 177 (20.5)
Docetaxel 176 (20.4)
Doxorubicin 166 (19.2)
Epirubicin 145 (16.8)
Cisplatin 115 (13.3)
Etoposide 92 (10.6)
Paclitaxel 88 (10.2)
Oxaliplatin 60 (6.9)
Vincristine 54 (6.2)
Methotrexate 53 (6.1)
Bleomycin 44 (5.1)
Actinomycin 36 (4.1)
Vinblastine 18 (2.0)
Others 44 (5.1)
Table 5. Therapeutic Class Used in ADRs Management.

From: Pattern of Adverse Drug Reactions Associated with the Use of Anticancer Drugs in an Oncology-Based Hospital of Nepal

Class Frequency (%)
N=102
Proton Pump Inhibitors 102 (100.0)
IV Normal Saline flush 102 (100.0)
Anti-emetics 102 (100.0)
Protein powder 89 (87.2)
Mouth Gargle 78 (76.4)
Iron tablets 72 (70.5)
Inj. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor 68 (66.6)
Multivitamin mineral tablets 57 (55.8)
Analgesics 34 (33.3)
Antimicrobial agents 27 (26.4)
Laxatives 25 (24.5)
Corticosteroids 24 (23.5)
Appetite stimulant 23 (22.5)
IV mannitol, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulphate 15 (14.7)
Probiotics 13 (12.7)
Folinic acid 13 (12.7)
Pregabalin and Vitamin B-12 10 (9.8)
Antacid suspension 7 (6.8)
Antispasmodic 6 (5.8)
Antipsychotic 5 (4.9)
Anti-diarrheal agents 4 (3.9)
Antihistamines 2 (1.9)
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