Effectiveness of Palonosetron for Preventing Delayed Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting Following Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer

Purpose Patients with gastrointestinal cancer who were receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) were switched from granisetron, a first-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist, to palonosetron at our hospital. In the present study, we compared effectiveness before and after switching antiemetic treatment. Methods Among patients who were receiving MEC for gastrointestinal cancer, we prospectively observed 46 patients given granisetron and 46 given palonosetron. To allow adverse reactions to be graded in accordance with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0, a questionnaire designed at our hospital was used to compare the occurrence of delayed nausea and vomiting between patients who received granisetron (GRA group) and those who received palonosetron (PAL group). Results The incidence of delayed nausea was significantly lower in the PAL group (8.7 %, 4/46; p < 0.01) than in the GRA group (37 %, 17/46). Delayed vomiting developed in five patients (10.9 %) in the GRA group, but did not occur in the PAL group. On the basis of the results of multivariate analysis, young age, female gender, and the use of granisetron were significant risk factors for delayed nausea. Conclusion Our survey showed that palonosetron effectively controls delayed nausea caused by MEC for gastrointestinal cancer.