[Comparison of effects between single vs five-day injection of granisetron for combination chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for head and neck cancer].

Recently, granisetron (KYT), one of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, has been developed and proved to have a strong effect for cisplatin (CDDP)-induced emesis. The combination chemotherapy with CDDP and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which has great efficacy for head and neck cancer, induces nausea and vomiting as side effects. We compared the effects of KYT for CDDP plus 5-FU-induced emesis between two administration schedules. Forty patients were randomized to two groups. KYT was administered either on day 1 for twenty patients (Group A), or for consecutive 5 days in another twenty patients (Group B). Additional antiemetics were administered in thirteen patients in Group A and seven patients in Group B for severe nausea and vomiting even after KYT administration. The times of additional antiemetics administration were more frequent in Group B. The nausea score was statistically lower in Group B and the duration of nausea or vomiting was statistically longer in Group A. The frequency of vomiting was the same in the two groups on day 1, but it was controlled faster in Group B. Appetite loss was lower on day 7 in Group B. It was concluded that vomit and nausea were controlled better in Group B after day 4. Additional antiemetics were not effective, and 5 consecutive administrations of KYT for chemotherapy with CDDP plus 5-FU was effective for late emesis.