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Background: We examined whether the weight loss that occurs with platinum-based chemotherapy in lung cancer patients is associated with chemotherapy side effects, treatment completion rates and therapeutic effect. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed charts of advanced lung cancer patients treated with =2 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on = 5 or <5% weight loss. Relationships between weight loss and other variables were investigated. Results: Among 114 patients, 18 (15.8%) experienced = 5% weight loss. Significantly more patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) than with non- SCLC were found to have = 5% weight loss (30.8 vs. 11.4%, p = 0.023). Patients with = 5% weight loss experienced higher incidences of grade 3-4 leukopenia (p = 0.008) and neutropenia (p = 0.005), and treatment completion rates were lower in this group (p = 0.035). Weight loss was not significantly associated with therapeutic effect. Conclusion: The weight loss in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving platinum-based chemotherapy is associated with SCLC, grade 3-4 leukopenia, neutropenia and a decrease in treatment completion rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The risk factors for cytarabine (Ara-C)-induced cutaneous toxicity are unclear. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of patients with haematopoietic malignancies treated with Ara-C and examined risk factors for Ara-C-induced cutaneous toxicity. Results: We reviewed 114 patients (76 men, 38 women) and found that 47 patients (41.2%) experienced cutaneous toxicity. In 93 patients (81.6%) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), the toxicity was significantly associated with the cancer type [AML/NHL: odds ratio (OR) = 4.84; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.99-11.81; p = 0.001], age (<50/≥50 years: OR = 2.54; 95% CI = 1.08-5.95; p = 0.032) and concurrent steroid administration (yes/no: OR = 0.22; 95% CI = 0.09-0.56; p = 0.001). AML was the only significant association (OR = 3.83; 95% CI = 1.21-12.06; p = 0.022) in the multivariate logistic analysis. Conclusion: AML, age <50 years and no steroid use are considered to be risk factors for Ara-C-induced cutaneous toxicity. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]