Comparison of antiemetic efficacy between single and repeated treatments with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist in breast cancer patients with high-risk emetogenic chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND
The significance of repeated treatment with the 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist for prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced emesis remains to be clarified.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed to compare the effects of single and repeated treatment with granisetron on anorexia, nausea and vomiting in patients with breast cancer who undertook anthracycline and cyclophosphamide-based cancer chemotherapy.


RESULTS
The control of anorexia was significantly better in the single treatment group than in the repeated treatment group (54% versus 73%; odds ratio (OR), 0.433; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.226-0.828; p=0.016), although the rate of complete response to any signs of the gastrointestinal side-effects was not different between the two groups (37% versus 39%; OR, 0.911; CI, 0.489-1.700; p=0.874). However, the incidence of constipation was more frequent in the repeated treatment group (60% versus 37%; OR, 2.586; CI, 1.388-4.818; p=0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Repeated treatment with 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist is not likely to be beneficial to breast cancer patients who undertook anthracycline/cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy.
Taguchi
Keiko
K
Department of Pharmacy, Gifu University Hospital, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
Iihara
Hirotoshi
H
Ishihara
Masashi
M
Komori
Yoshifumi
Y
Tanizawa
Katsumi
K
Matsuura
Katsuhiko
K
Itoh
Yoshinori
Y
D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D058831:Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists