Frequency of Chemotherapy-Induced Myalgia in Cancer Patients using The Visual Analogue Scale

Abstract

Abstract
Objective: The aim of the study was to find the frequency of chemotherapy-induced myalgia in
patients with cancer in Lahore.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of six months after ethical
approval from February to July 2021. Using a non-probability convenient sampling technique,
seventy eligible patients between 45-55 years of age with cancer were included in this study from
both public and private hospital settings on the basis of predefined eligibility criteria. A self-
structured questionnaire including a visual analogue pain scale was used for data collection. Data
was analyzed using SPSS version 21. The qualitative variables were presented with pie charts and
quantitative variables are tabulated with frequencies and percentages.
Results: Mean age±SD of participants was 53±6.9 years. Out of 70 participants, 90% were females. The
significant outcome variables included the presence of myalgia, painful girdle, intensity of pain
(visual analogue scale), duration of treatment with the chemotherapy drug, dose of chemotherapy
drug and chemotherapy sessions. Chemotherapy-induced myalgia was 94.3% among target cancer
patients in Lahore.
Conclusion: In our study, chemotherapy-induced myalgia is alarmingly high in patients with
cancers. The pain is mostly moderate in nature and affects the shoulder region. Measures should be
adopted to mitigate the chemotherapy-induced myalgia as it adversely affects the patient's already
deteriorating quality of life.
Keywords: Myalgia, Cancer, Cancer Pain, Palliative care, Chemotherapy.