We are delighted that you have found our website! The main goal of the Genomic Underpinnings for Breast Cancer Treatment Induced Nausea and Vomiting or what we like to call the Treatment Induced Nausea and Vomiting study, (TINV study), is to understand why some women with breast cancer experience nausea and vomiting from their treatments, and others do not. The TINV study is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) which is part of the National Institutes of Health. The goal for the main study is to follow 300 women for a year and to keep track of all symptoms experienced by the study participants. Saliva samples are collected as well to determine if there is a genetic predictor for treatment-induced nausea and vomiting.
Treatment-induced nausea and vomiting can reduce a patient’s quality of life and can make it more difficult to tolerate and adhere to breast cancer-related treatment. TINV can occur at any time during treatment for cancer. It may occur after surgery, during chemotherapy or radiation, from pain medications, or aromatase inhibitors. Risk factors for TINV include female sex, history of motion sickness, history of nausea during pregnancy, history of postoperative nausea, and being a smoker.
The study is considered a longitudinal, comparative study – one that follows participants across time and then compares the differences in women who experience TINV and those who do not. We have been so very fortunate thus far to have over 300 women join our study. Since we have recognized that women often experience symptoms at 12 months and beyond, we needed to extend our study so we can follow women for 3 years. Our continuation study will follow women for three years, communicating with study participants on a monthly basis. Find more information about the TINV Continuation study.