Early Austrian multicenter experience with palonosetron as antiemetic treatment for patients undergoing highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
Palonosetron is a new generation 5-HT3-receptor antagonist with a significantly prolonged half-life and a once-a-day administration compared to the conventional setrons. To evaluate the antiemetic efficacy of palonosetron in the daily hospital practice setting, a postmarketing study was carried out in Austria.


METHODS
Palonosetron was administered at 0.25 mg on day 1 of each cycle to 135 cancer patients who received moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy either as an IV bolus or as a short-term infusion. Two thirds of these patients were females (n = 90), the majority had breast cancer (n = 38) and the majority received cisplatin, carboplatin, anthracyclines, 5-fluorouracil or cyclophosphamide.


RESULTS
The complete antiemetic response rate was 68 % overall with 87 % efficacy on day 1 and 72 % efficacy on days 2 to 5. Higher antiemetic response was achieved in male patients, in patients being aged > or = 50 years, and in chemonaive patients. Twenty-four percent of patients needed rescue medication. Only 1.5 % of patients reported mild adverse events.


CONCLUSIONS
Palonosetron resulted in high antiemetic efficacy in this study. Female gender and age < or = 50 years should be particularly considered when the antiemetic regimen is selected.
Petru
Edgar
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. edgar.petru@klinikum-graz.at
Andel
Johannes
J
Angleitner-Boubenizek
Lukas
L
Steger
Günther
G
Bernhart
Marianne
M
Busch
Kerstin
K
Gehmacher
Otto
O
Hernler
Tamara
T
Kastner
Uwe
U
Lanz-Veit
Angelika
A
Pluschnigg
Ursula
U
Polachova
Jana
J
Rohde
Michael
M
Schiller
Lothar
L
Schramböck
Rene
R
Stangl
Wolfgang
W
Thödtmann
Ralf
R
Zabernigg
August
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001317:Austria; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077924:Palonosetron; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D011812:Quinuclidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007546:Isoquinolines; D011812:Quinuclidines; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D000077924:Palonosetron