[Patient Questionnaire Survey of"As-Needed"Medications to Relieve Side Effects and Anxiety for Breast Cancer Chemotherapy].

Abstract

Patients undergoing outpatient cancer chemotherapy are prescribed"as-needed"medication(antiemetics, laxatives, and antibiotics)as a form of self-care for early response to side effects. We conducted a questionnaire survey to clarify whether prescribed"as-needed"medication contributes to the relief of patients' anxiety about cancer chemotherapy. We obtained responses from 80 breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy from 2019-2021". As- needed"medication was used by 68(85.0%)of patients. Fifty patients(73.5%)who used"as-needed"medication experienced relief of anxiety associated with chemotherapy. Also, 10 patients(83.3%)who did not use"as-needed"medication experienced relief of anxiety associated with chemotherapy". As-needed"medication may contribute to the relief of anxiety associated with chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.