OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of palonosetron for prevention of vomiting induced by high dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

METHODSOne-hundred and twenty-eight patients received tropisetron 5 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg at the first cycle or palonosetron 0.25 mg plus dexamethasone 10 mg, respectively, each administered 30 min before the initiation of high dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy. To observe the remission rate of acute emetic episodes and delayed emetic episodes, adverse effects and daily food-intake in the patients after the chemotherapy.

RESULTSThe complete response (CR) rates for acute vomiting were not significantly different between the tropisetron and palonosetron cycles (75.8% vs. 79.7%, P>0.05). The complete control rate of delayed vomiting in the palonosetron cycle was significantly higher than that in the tropisetron cycle (70.3% vs. 50.8%, P<0.01). The food-intake decrease rate of palonosetron cycle was 18.8%, significantly lower than the 53.1% of the tropisetron cycle (P<0.05). The toxicity in the two cycles was similar and no grade 3-4 toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONSPalonosetron is superior to tropisetron with a lower remission rate of delayed emesis induced by high dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy and with tolerable toxicity. Moreover, the apparent emesis control of palonosetron treatment seems to provide an adequate food-intake in these patients.