ROLE OF ONDANSETRON IN CONTROLLING CYTOTOXIC CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED EMESIS

We have studied the efficacy and safety of Ondansetron, a selective se rotonin receptor antagonist, in controlling the nausea and vomiting in duced by cytotoxic chemotherapeutic treatments in 60 patients with can cer receiving cytotoxic agents known to be associated with at least mo derate emetic activity. Of the 17 patients who received a cisplatin-ba sed combination, 7 had a complete response, 7 a major response and 4 a minor response. In the non-cisplatin group, there were 4 complete, 22 major and 12 minor responses. The overall response rate was 91.7%. Si de-effects attributable to Ondansetron were mild with headaches and co nstipation being the most common. We conclude that Ondansetron is an e ffective and safe agent for controlling chemotherapy-induced emesis.