Phase II trial of tropisetron and dexamethasone in the prevention of cisplatin-induced emesis.

ABSTRACT

Thirty-one patients treated with 58 cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy at a dose > 80 mg/m2 were enrolled into the study using tropisetron and dexamethasone in the prevention, of cisplatin-induced emesis. There was 87.9 per cent complete control, 10.3 per cent major control, and 1.7 per cent failure for nausea episode on the first day of cycle. For the vomiting control, there was 96.6 per cent complete control, 3.4 per cent major control, and no failure. After the second day, the percentage of complete control increased gradually for both nausea and vomiting. The complete control for acute nausea and vomiting was 85.7 per cent and 92.9 per cent, respectively. The efficacy for delayed emesis was lower. There was 76.4 per cent complete control for delayed nausea and 85.7 per cent for delayed vomiting. The treatment was well tolerated without any serious adverse events related to tropisetron. Only hiccups was reported in 4 patients and recovered spontaneously at the end of the cycle. Combination of tropisetron and dexamethasone is an effective and safe antiemetic regimen in the prevention of cisplatin-induced emesis.