Antiemetic effect of ramosetron during hyperthermo-chemo-radiotherapy for esophageal cancer

Background: The antiemetic effects of serotonin receptor antagonists during chemoradiotherapy for solid tumors have never been reported We have develo ped hyperthermochemo-radiotherapy (HCR) for esophageal cancer. However, wit h this treatment, the more potent the chemotherapy was, the more frequently emesis was experienced. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients with esoph ageal cancel underwent HCR (6 courses of hyperthermia, cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) x 6, 5-FU 300 mg/m(2) x 15 and radiation 1.5 Gy x 30), Ramosetron was admi nistered intravenously (0.3 mg x 15). The emesis inhibition rate was define d as the rate of patients having neither vomiting nor severe nausea. Result s: The incidence of patients without nausea gradually decreased to 60 % at the end of chemotherapy. However, vomiting was completely avoided except in one patient for two days. The emesis inhibition rates of weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 100.0 93.3, 89.5 and 95.2% respectively The overall inhibition rate was 94.5% and the rate of "well inhibited" was 79.0%. There were no ramose tron-related adverse reactions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ra mosetron is a useful antiemetic agent for nausea and vomiting induced by ch emoradiotherapy for solid tumors.