Objective: Patients treated with vinorelbine(VNR)-containing chemotherapy often suffer from injection site reactions.  VNR is a moderate vesicant that is well known to cause local venous damage.  We conducted this study to identify clinical risk factors related to the incidence of injection site reactions caused by VNR, and whether applying a hot compress was effective for preventing such reactions.
Methods: Medical records were retrospectively investigated for 48 patients treated with chemotherapy regimens containing VNR.  Injection site reactions were evaluated for every course and were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (version 4.0).  Gender, age, body mass index, chemotherapy regimen, dose of VNR, and volume of fluid for flushing the vein were assessed as clinical variables.  A hot compress was applied to the vein proximal to the injection site during VNR injection.
Results: The injection site reactions occurred in 29 (60%) among 48 patients received intravenous VNR injection.  According to multivariate analysis, use of gemcitabine (GEM) in combination with VNR showed a significant independent correlation with an increased risk of injection site reactions (p=0.019).  When hot compress was applied to 21 patients, who experienced phlebitis of VNR, the injection site reaction was occurred to only three patients (p<0.001).
Conclusion: In this study, the risk factor of the injection site reaction by VNR seems to be combination of GEM.  Application of hot compresses was effective for preventing injection site reactions by VNR.