A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study to Evaluate Ethanol-Induced Symptoms in Patients Receiving Docetaxel Chemotherapy

• Published in: Cancer research and treatment Vol. 55; no. 4; pp. 1096 - 1103
• Main Authors: Won, Young-Woong, Kang, Jin-Hyoung, Kwon, Jung Hye, Koo, Dong-Hoe, Kang, Jung Hun, Maeng, Chi Hoon, Ahn, Hee Kyung, Oh, Sung Yong, Lee, Dae-Won, Sohn, Joohyuk, Oh, So Yeon, Lee, Kyung Hee, Koh, Su-Jin, Lee, Keun Seok, Kim, Chan-Kyu, Kim, Ji-Yeon, Ji, Jun Ho, Kim, Sung-Bae, Ha, Joo Young, Kim, Ho Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Cancer Association 01.10.2023; 대한암학회
• Subjects: Original; 의학일반; Ethanol; Chemotherapy; Docetaxel
• ISSN: 1598-2998; 2005-9256; 2005-9256
• DOI: 10.4143/crt.2022.1565

Purpose Several previous studies and case reports have reported ethanol-induced symptoms in patients receiving anticancer drugs containing ethanol. Most docetaxel formulations contain ethanol as a solvent. However, there are insufficient data on ethanol-induced symptoms when docetaxel-containing ethanol is administered. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and pattern of ethanol-induced symptoms during and after docetaxel administration. The secondary purpose was to explore the risk factors for ethanol-induced symptoms.Materials and Methods This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study. The participants filled out ethanol-induced symptom questionnaire on the day of chemotherapy and the following day.Results Data from 451 patients were analyzed. The overall occurrence rate of ethanol-induced symptoms was 44.3% (200/451 patients). The occurrence rate of facial flushing was highest at 19.7% (89/451 patients), followed by nausea in 18.2% (82/451 patients), and dizziness in 17.5% (79/451 patients). Although infrequent, unsteady walking and impaired balance occurred in 4.2% and 3.3% of patients, respectively. Female sex, presence of underlying disease, younger age, docetaxel dose, and docetaxel-containing ethanol amount were significantly associated with the occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms.Conclusion The occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms was not low in patients receiving docetaxel-containing ethanol. Physicians need to pay more attention to the occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms and prescribe ethanol-free or low-ethanol-containing formulations to high-risk patients.