THE INCIDENCE OF ANTICIPATORY NAUSEA AND VOMITING AFTER REPEAT CYCLE CHEMOTHERAPY - THE EFFECT OF GRANISETRON

Anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV) after repeated cycles of cytoto xic chemotherapy is thought to be a conditioned response to a conditio ning stimulus. Good control of acute and delayed emesis may result in a lower incidence of ANV. We have analysed data from 574 chemotherapy patients who received granisetron as their antiemetic treatment during repeat cycle chemotherapy. Per treatment cycle, less than 10% of pati ents displayed symptoms of anticipatory nausea and 2% or less had symp toms of anticipatory vomiting. It is concluded that the use of granise tron as an antiemetic during the acute phase of chemotherapy may resul t in a lower incidence of ANV in patients undergoing repeat cycle chem otherapy.