LOW-DOSE ORAL GRANISETRON (1 MG) PLUS INTRAVENOUS DEXAMETHASONE - EFFICACY IN GYNECOLOGIC CANCER-PATIENTS RECEIVING CARBOPLATIN-BASED CHEMOTHERAPY

Objective. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy o f a low-dose oral granisetron plus intravenous dexamethasone prophylac tic antiemetic regimen in patients receiving carboplatin-based chemoth erapy. Patients and methods. Patients with gynecologic malignancies be ing treated with either single-agent carboplatin or a carboplatin-pacl itaxel regimen received a single 1-mg oral dose of granisetron 30 min prior to chemotherapy plus intravenous dexamethasone (20 mg) as prophy laxis for emesis. Patients either had not previously been treated with chemotherapy or had not received any cytotoxic drugs for greater than or equal to 4 months prior to study entry. Effective ness was evaluat ed based on the degree of control of nausea and vomiting during the 24 h following treatment. Results. Of the 32 patients participating in t his phase 2 trial, only 2 (6%) experienced any degree of nausea or vom iting within the first 24 h of chemotherapy administration. Both of th ese individuals had carcinomatosis and were experiencing emesis prior to chemotherapy. One patient developed mild delayed nausea >24 h after treatment. No major or minor toxic affects of the antiemetic regimen observed. Conculsion. A 1-mg dose of oral granisetron plus intravenous dexamethasone (20 mg) is a safe, effective, and relatively inexpensiv e prophylactic antiemetic regimen for patients receiving single-gent c arboplatin or combination carboplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy. (C) 199 8 Academic Press.