ROLE OF ONDANSETRON IN CONTROLLING CYTOTOXIC CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED EMESIS

We have studied the efficacy and safety of Ondansetron, a selective serotonin receptor antagonist, in controlling the nausea and vomiting induced by cytotoxic chemotherapeutic treatments in 60 patients with cancer receiving cytotoxic agents known to be associated with at least moderate emetic activity. Of the 17 patients who received a cisplatin-based combination, 7 had a complete response, 7 a major response and 4 a minor response. In the non-cisplatin group, there were 4 complete, 22 major and 12 minor responses. The overall response rate was 91.7%. Side-effects attributable to Ondansetron were mild with headaches and constipation being the most common. We conclude that Ondansetron is an effective and safe agent for controlling chemotherapy-induced emesis.