New antiemetic drugs

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 314-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Sanger

Three major areas of medicine are identified in which there is a need for new antiemetic drugs. These are the nausea and vomiting arising from gastrointestinal motility disturbances (functional dyspepsia, diabetic neuropathy, classical migraine), the sickness evoked by abnormal motion, and the severe emesis experienced by cancer patients as a result of certain cytotoxic therapies. For gastrointestinal-related nausea, selective stimulants of gut motility are suggested to form the basis for a new type of antiemetic therapy. In motion sickness, there has been progress in the understanding of the illness, but little advance in the development of new drugs that selectively prevent this type of sickness. In cancer chemo- and radio-therapy, the discovery that selective 5-HT3 (5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine) receptor antagonists can prevent severe cytotoxic-evoked emesis now promises to radically change the type of antiemetic therapy given to these patients. This type of antiemetic compound and the pharmacology of the new 5-HT3 receptor antagonists are, therefore, discussed in detail.Key words: emesis, gastric motility, 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT3 receptors.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junichi Nishimura ◽  
Akiko Hasegawa ◽  
Toshihiro Kudo ◽  
Tomoyuki Otsuka ◽  
Masayoshi Yasui ◽  
...  

AbstractOlanzapine has exhibited efficacy as an antiemetic agent when used with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, dexamethasone, and NK1 receptor antagonists for patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. In addition, several studies have reported the efficacy or safety of olanzapine in patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, including carboplatin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin. However, no reports of olanzapine use have focused on patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. Therefore, we analyzed the safety of antiemetic therapy using olanzapine, palonosetron, aprepitant, and dexamethasone in colorectal cancer patients undergoing oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. This study was a prospective phase II single-institution study of 40 patients (median age 60 years, 23 patients were male). The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events, and the exploratory endpoints were the rate of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Almost all patients (90%) had a performance status of 0. All patients received the scheduled antiemetic therapy. The most common adverse event was somnolence (n = 7 patients, 17.5%). All adverse events were grade 1. Thirty-six patients were included in the exploratory analysis of efficacy. No patients experienced vomiting during the first 120 h after chemotherapy, and complete response and complete control were both 86.1%. The rate of total control was 55.6% during the same time period. Olanzapine use with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, dexamethasone, and NK1 receptor antagonists was safe for colorectal cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Murat-Ringot ◽  
Pierre Jean Souquet ◽  
Fabien Subtil ◽  
Florent Boutitie ◽  
Marie Preau ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Cancer is a chronic disease with an incident worldwide had been 24.5 million and 9.6 million deaths in 2017. Lung and colorectal cancer are the most common cancer for both sexes and according to national and international recommendations platinum-based chemotherapy is the reference adjuvant treatment. This chemotherapy can be moderately to highly emetogenic. Despite antiemetic therapy, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting may persist. Moreover, cancer patient are increasingly interested in alternative and complementary medicines and express the desire that non-pharmacological treatments be used in hospitals. Among alternative and complementary medicines, foot reflexology decreases significantly the severity of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of the present study was to assess the benefits of foot reflexology as a complement to conventional treatments on severity of acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in digestive or lung cancer patients. The secondary objectives assessed were the frequency and severity of delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, quality of life, anxiety, and self-esteem. METHODS The present study was conducted between April 2018 and April 2020 in French University Hospital. This is an open-label randomized controlled trial. Participants are randomized into two groups: 40 to interventional group (conventional care with foot reflexology) and 40 to control group (conventional care without foot reflexology). Foot reflexology sessions (30 minutes) are performed on an outpatient or inpatient. Eligible participants are patients with a lung or digestive cancer with indication for platinum-based chemotherapy. RESULTS The severity of acute nausea and vomiting was assessed with a visual analogue scale during the second cycle of chemotherapy. A significant increase of at least 2 points was observed for control group (20.6%, P = 0.01). Across all cycle, the foot reflexology group showed a trend towards less frequent delayed nausea (P=0.28), a significantly less frequent consumption of antiemetic drugs (P=0.04), and no significant difference for vomiting (P=0.99); there was a trend towards a perception of stronger severity for delayed nausea in the control group (P=0.39). According to quality of life and anxiety, there was no significant difference between the interventional group and the control group (P=0.32 and P=0.53 respectively). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the present study results indicated that foot reflexology decreased significantly the severity of acute nausea and consumption of antiemetic drugs in lung and digestive cancer patients. No side effects from foot reflexology have been noted. In order to better respond to a desire of patients for non-pharmacological treatments and CAMs to be used in hospitals to improve their care, the results of this study showed that foot reflexology seems to be a promising complement to conventional antiemetic drugs. To assess the performance of this intervention in routine practice, a larger study with several health care centers would be relevant with a cluster RCT. CLINICALTRIAL The present study registered with clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03508180 (28/06/2018) INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/17232


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Van Ryckeghem

AbstractChemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains one of the most disturbing side effects of cancer treatment. Research in antiemetic therapy has progressed gradually since the early eighties, and the development of antiemetic agents continues. This review focuses on the current management of CINV based on the most recent guidelines, and adherence to the latter is examined more carefully. Setrons (5HT3 receptor antagonists), corticosteroids, and NK-1 receptor antagonists are the cornerstones of antiemetic therapy. Corticosteroids are one of the oldest agents in the prevention of CINV. They are highly effective, increase the effect of other antiemetic agents, and are cost-effective. The latest developed 5HT3 receptor antagonist palonosetron led to an update of the guidelines of CINV. Other types include benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, and olanzapine. Various factors contribute to the overall risk of developing CINV, such as patient characteristics, emetogenic potency of the chemotherapeutic agents, and correct prevention of CINV. Current guidelines determine which is the right preventive regimen for each cancer patient at risk for experiencing CINV. Adherence to these guidelines and implementation in daily practice seem to be below the optimal level. In Belgium, authorities use the guidelines as a base for reimbursement and this has increased the level of implementation.


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