Purpose: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is the most important factor affecting morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Patients with a high controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, which is used to assess nutritional status, are expected to have high morbidity rates. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of the CONUT score. Methods: Data from 97 consecutive cases of PD performed in the Department of Surgery of Iwakuni Clinical Center, from April 2008 to May 2018, were included. Preoperative patient data, including sex, age, and hypertension, and postoperative complication data were collected to analyze pancreatic fistula occurrence. Results: Of the 97 patients, 2 9 patients (29.8%) were diagnosed with POPF ≥ B, with 26 cases (26.8%) classified as grade B and 3 (3.1%) as grade C. The mortality rate was 2.1% (2 of 97). In the univariate analysis, a significant association was observed between POPF and the following factors: body mass index (BMI) ≥ 22 kg/m2, high CONUT score, nonpancreatic carcinoma, and CT attenuation values. In multivariate analysis, BMI ≥ 22 kg/m2 (odds ratio [OR], 6.16; P < 0.001), high CONUT score (OR, 3.77; P = 0.009), nonpancreatic carcinoma (OR, 5.72; P = 0.009), and CT attenuation values (late/early ratio) in the pancreas (OR, 9.07; P = 0.006) were independent risk factors for POPF. Conclusion Patients with a high CONUT score are at high risk of POPF. Further study correlating preoperative nutritional intervention with risk of POPF is necessary.

OBJECTIVE: Palonosetron is effective for the management of acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). While emetogenic carboplatin-based chemotherapy is widely used to treat gynecologic cancers, few studies have evaluated the antiemetic effectiveness of palonosetron in this setting. METHODS: A multicenter, single-arm, open-label phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of palonosetron in controlling CINV in patients with gynecologic cancer. Chemotherapy-naïve patients received intravenous palonosetron (0.75 mg/body) and dexamethasone before the infusion of carboplatin-based chemotherapy on day 1. Dexamethasone was administered (orally or intravenously) on days 2–3. The incidence and severity of CINV were evaluated using the patient-completed Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Antiemesis Tool and treatment diaries. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients experiencing complete control (CC) of vomiting, with “no rescue antiemetic medication” and “no clinically significant nausea” or “only mild nausea” in the delayed phase (24–120 hours post-chemotherapy). Secondary endpoints were the proportion of patients with a complete response (CR: “no vomiting” and “no rescue antiemetic medication”) in the acute (0–24 hours), delayed (24–120 hours), and overall (0–120 hours) phases, and CC in the acute and overall phases. RESULTS: Efficacy was assessable in 77 of 80 patients recruited. In the acute and delayed phases, the CR rates the primary endpoint, were 71.4% and 59.7% and the CC rates, the secondary endpoint, were 97.4% and 96.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: While palonosetron effectively controls acute CINV, additional antiemetic management is warranted in the delayed phase after carboplatin-based chemotherapy in gynecologic cancer patients (Trial registry at UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000012806).
Antiemetics ; Carboplatin ; Dexamethasone* ; Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Genital Neoplasms, Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Japan* ; Nausea* ; Vomiting*

Context: In addition to opioids, oxygen therapy is often administered to cancer patients suffering from dyspnea before death, but there are few reports of adverse effects of this treatment. Objectives: To clarify the frequency of adverse effects of oxygen therapy for hospitalized cancer patients before death. Methods: A retrospective study of all patients who died and were discharged from the palliative care unit in Komaki City Hospital from January 2016 to June 2018 was performed. Patients to whom oxygen therapy had already been administered at the time of admission were excluded in the study. Results: The study included 257 patients, with 195 (76%) in the oxygen therapy group (O2+). The cumulative rate of oxygen therapy was 36% seven days before death, 54% three days before death, and 76% a day before death. The adverse effects included a sense of restraint for 64 cases (31%), exacerbation of delirium for 27 cases (14%), nasal/oral hemorrhage for 25 cases (13%), dryness for 5 cases (3%), and deterioration of subjective symptoms for 4 cases (2%). Along with these effects, temporary interruption of oxygen therapy was observed in 76 cases (39%). Conclusion: Oxygen therapy was started in half of the cases within 3 days before death. The adverse events to occur frequently were feeling of restriction and exacerbation of delirium.