Antiemetic efficacy of granisetron in patients with gynecological malignancies

The efficacy and tolerability of granisetron in the management of acute and delayed emesis was compared with that of a multiple antiemetic drug combination regimen, including metoclopramide, dexamethasone, lorazepam and orphenadrine. The trial was a randomized, cross-over study involving 111 patients with gynecological cancers undergoing chemotherapy with cisplatin. Granisetron was significantly more effective than the combination regimen during the first 24 h after chemotherapy; complete response rates were 67 and 48%, respectively (p = 0.002). There was a significant reduction in the effectiveness of the combination during the second treatment cycle, compared with the first. In contrast, the efficacy of granisetron did not differ between the two cycles. The response rate during the 6 days after chemotherapy was 40.8% in both groups. At the end of the study, 55% of patients preferred granisetron and 23% preferred the combination (p < 0.001). Granisetron was well tolerated. The principal adverse event was headache, which was reported in 7% of patients. The results of this study confirm that granisetron is effective in the treatment of cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting during the 24 h after chemotherapy.