Simplified ondansetron regimens for antiemetic prophylaxis in cisplatin-based chemotherapy of ovarian cancer.

In past years prevention of emesis and nausea induced by antiblastics has been based on extremely heterogeneous protocols with little efficacy. However, by the use of selective antagonists of serotonin S3 receptors there has been a remarkable improvement in the control of side effects. Among these antagonists ondansetron has been till now the most studied. The dosage protocols with which it has usually been employed establish an i.v. administration of the drug of 1 mg/h for 24 hours or the repetition of ondansetron 0.15 mg/kg x 2 every 2-4 hours after the end of chemotherapy. In our study, carried out from September 1991 till September 1992, 21 patients affected by ovarian carcinoma and treated by cisplatin chemotherapy protocols were evaluated (for a total of 63 cycles). Ten patients were under first line adjuvant chemotherapy treatment, whereas 11 patients were in relapse and had already undergone previous antiblastic treatments with serious side effects. In 18 out of 21 patients cyclophosphamide which has a strong emetic factor was associated with cisplatin. According to the total quantity of cisplatin contained in each cycle (in all < or =/> 100 mg) we used ondansetron in two different dosages simplified and shortened in time. They have been illustrated with particular details in the text. The control of nausea and vomiting during the first 24 hours was similar to the controls obtained in other studies in which ondansetron was administered according to the "traditional schemes".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)