title: Early Austrian multicenter experience with palonosetron as antiemetic treatment for patients undergoing highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. edgar.petru@klinikum-graz.at
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petru
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andel
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Angleitner-Boubenizek
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steger
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernhart
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gehmacher
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hernler
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kastner
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lanz-Veit
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pluschnigg
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polachova
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohde
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schiller
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schramböck
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stangl
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thödtmann
authors.forename: August
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zabernigg
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007546:Isoquinolines; D011812:Quinuclidines; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D000077924:Palonosetron