The UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center, a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), worked with NCCN and the American Cancer Society to update Nausea and Vomiting Treatment Guidelines for Patients with Cancer.
The title is just one of a series, available in booklet form or online (www.nccn.org), dedicated to educating patients and their families about the treatment of cancer and of associated side effects.
“While not everyone undergoing cancer treatment experiences nausea and vomiting, those who do know these can be debilitating side effects,” said Phil Bierman, M.D., oncologist at UNMC and The Nebraska Medical Center, who participates on the NCCN Antiemesis Panel. “The tools provided in this booklet can help patients work with their health care team to prevent and to treat nausea and vomiting.”
Cancer treatment-related nausea and vomiting can be successfully treated or even prevented in most patients. By maintaining open communication between the patient and the physician, anti-vomiting medication can be adjusted to control this unpleasant symptom. Because some chemotherapy regimens may cause delayed vomiting, it is important that patients talk with their physicians about the specific regimens they are receiving and how long to take anti-nausea medications.
NCCN Treatment Guidelines for Patients are the result of a collaborative effort between NCCN and the American Cancer Society and are derived directly from the Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology developed for physicians by the NCCN. The patient guidelines also provide background information on different types of cancers, their causes, various treatment options, and a glossary of terms. The guidelines provide the most up-to-date information about treatment options and are written in easy to understand language.
“Nausea and vomiting are two of the many feared side effects of cancer treatment,” said Ralph B. Vance, M.D., national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. “Cancer patients and their families now have the reliable, specific, and easy-to-understand information they need to make timely and well-informed decisions about this critical health care issue.”
Other available Treatment Guidelines for Patients include: breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder cancer, cancer pain management, fatigue and anemia, and fever and neutropenia. Most guidelines are also available in Spanish. The materials are available free of charge on NCCN’s Web site and by calling NCCN toll-free at 1-888-909-NCCN. Materials also are available on the American Cancer Society’s Web site or by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.