Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer?
This observational study aims to evaluate the efficacy of naloxegol therapy in resolving opioid-induced constipation (OIC) and in improving the quality of life in a home palliative care cancer setting. Advanced cancer patients with OIC (Rome IV criteria) not relieved by laxatives started a naloxegol...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/22/5736 |
| _version_ | 1797510953955229696 |
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| author | Rita Ostan Giuseppe Gambino Italo Malavasi Gianluca Ronga Maria Solipaca Michela Spunghi Silvia Varani Raffaella Pannuti Enrico Ruggeri |
| author_facet | Rita Ostan Giuseppe Gambino Italo Malavasi Gianluca Ronga Maria Solipaca Michela Spunghi Silvia Varani Raffaella Pannuti Enrico Ruggeri |
| author_sort | Rita Ostan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This observational study aims to evaluate the efficacy of naloxegol therapy in resolving opioid-induced constipation (OIC) and in improving the quality of life in a home palliative care cancer setting. Advanced cancer patients with OIC (Rome IV criteria) not relieved by laxatives started a naloxegol therapy 25 mg/day for 4 weeks. Quality of life was evaluated by Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality-of-Life (PAC-QoL) at day 0 and day 28; background pain by Numerical Rating Scale, number of weekly spontaneous bowel movements and Bowel Function Index (BFI) were evaluated at day 0 and every week. Seventy-eight patients who completed the 4-week study improved all four PAC-QoL dimensions (physical and psychological discomfort, worries/concerns and satisfaction level). Weekly spontaneous bowel movements increased and BFI improved. Background pain reduced after seven days and remained lower during the following weeks. Seventy-two patients dropped out the study before day 28 with a reduced survival compared to patients completing the study. Even in these patients, an improvement of bowel function was observed after two weeks. Naloxegol was effective in improving the quality of life, resolving OIC and reducing overall pain in patients with advanced cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:38:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a34d436417a34bf281e66994b852fbd0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:38:33Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-a34d436417a34bf281e66994b852fbd02023-11-22T22:42:32ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-11-011322573610.3390/cancers13225736Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer?Rita Ostan0Giuseppe Gambino1Italo Malavasi2Gianluca Ronga3Maria Solipaca4Michela Spunghi5Silvia Varani6Raffaella Pannuti7Enrico Ruggeri8National Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyNational Tumor Assistance (ANT), Via Jacopo di Paolo, 36-40128 Bologna, ItalyThis observational study aims to evaluate the efficacy of naloxegol therapy in resolving opioid-induced constipation (OIC) and in improving the quality of life in a home palliative care cancer setting. Advanced cancer patients with OIC (Rome IV criteria) not relieved by laxatives started a naloxegol therapy 25 mg/day for 4 weeks. Quality of life was evaluated by Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality-of-Life (PAC-QoL) at day 0 and day 28; background pain by Numerical Rating Scale, number of weekly spontaneous bowel movements and Bowel Function Index (BFI) were evaluated at day 0 and every week. Seventy-eight patients who completed the 4-week study improved all four PAC-QoL dimensions (physical and psychological discomfort, worries/concerns and satisfaction level). Weekly spontaneous bowel movements increased and BFI improved. Background pain reduced after seven days and remained lower during the following weeks. Seventy-two patients dropped out the study before day 28 with a reduced survival compared to patients completing the study. Even in these patients, an improvement of bowel function was observed after two weeks. Naloxegol was effective in improving the quality of life, resolving OIC and reducing overall pain in patients with advanced cancer.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/22/5736cancernaloxegolopioid-induced constipationpalliative careantagonistsopioid receptor |
| spellingShingle | Rita Ostan Giuseppe Gambino Italo Malavasi Gianluca Ronga Maria Solipaca Michela Spunghi Silvia Varani Raffaella Pannuti Enrico Ruggeri Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer? Cancers cancer naloxegol opioid-induced constipation palliative care antagonists opioid receptor |
| title | Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer? |
| title_full | Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer? |
| title_fullStr | Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer? |
| title_short | Can Naloxegol Therapy Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Cancer? |
| title_sort | can naloxegol therapy improve quality of life in patients with advanced cancer |
| topic | cancer naloxegol opioid-induced constipation palliative care antagonists opioid receptor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/22/5736 |
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