[Granisetron, a antiemetic for treatment of cytostatic drug-induced vomiting: results of a practice-oriented study].

The present multicentre Austrian investigation of the prophylactic intravenous administration of granisetron, a serotonin antagonist, routinely for control of cytostatic-induced nausea and emesis was carried out in 102 patients with cancer of various types undergoing different emetogenic cytostatic regimens (232 cycles of chemotherapy). A major therapeutic response, i.e. maximally one vomit over the first 24 hours, was achieved in 78-90% of patients undergoing a single or multiple day regimen of chemotherapy. Delayed emesis, experienced between day 1 and day 4 after chemotherapy, was observed in < 5% of the patients. However, particularly in single day regimens 25% of the patients showed only a moderate response to granisetron in suppressing delayed emesis. Tachyphylaxis to granisetron therapy was not observed in the first 3 consecutive cycles of chemotherapy. The individual global efficacy of emesis control by granisetron (day of chemotherapy over all cycles plus the following 7 days) was very good. An excellent therapeutic response was seen in 53-55% of all cases. The study also demonstrated the economic advantages of granisetron therapy. In the majority of patients (88/102) only a single dose of granisetron (3 mg) was required. The tolerability was also very good. The main adverse events reported were headache (7.8%) and constipation (4.9%).