Antiemetic effect of ginger in gynecologic oncology patients receiving cisplatin.

To determine whether ginger had antiemetic effect in cisplatin-induced emesis, we conducted a randomized, double-blinded crossover study in 48 gynecologic cancer patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Subjects were randomly allocated to regimen A or regimen B in their first cycle of the study. All patients received standard antiemetics in the first day of cisplatin administration. In regimen A, capsules of ginger root powder were given orally 1 g /day for 5 days, starting on the first day of chemotherapy. In regimen B, placebo was given on the first day and metoclopramide was given orally thereafter for 4 days. The patients were then crossed over to receive the other antiemetic regimen in their next cycle of chemotherapy. Among 43 evaluable patients who received both cycles of treatment, success in controls of nausea and emesis were not significantly different between the two regimens in both acute and delayed phases. Restlessness, as a side effect, occurred more often in metoclopramide arm compared to ginger arm (P=0.109). In conclusion, addition of ginger to standard antiemetic regimen has no advantage in reducing nausea or vomiting in acute phase of cisplatin-induced emesis. In delayed phase, ginger and metoclopramide have no statistically significant difference in efficacy.

Congenital nasopharyngeal teratoma (epignathus).

The case report of a congenital nasopharyngeal teratoma presented as an intra-amniotic sac mass was described. Histologically, the tumor was composed of highly differentiated tissue derived from three germ layers. Those tissues were partially developed as infant organs with a central core made up by bone. Haphazardly arrangement of such tissues with disorganized sketal axis helped in differentiating the mass from an asymmetric twins. The evidence of tumor attachment was seen at the retro-uvular region.