Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Induced by Chemotherapy with Cisplatin Plus Vindesine in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

A Prospective Randomized Trial Comparing Granisetron with Granisetron Plus Moderate-Dose Methylprednisolone

Abstract

We conducted a prospective randomized trial comparing granisetron (G) and granisetron plus moderate-dose methylprednisolone (GM) in controlling nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. In patients treated with G (n=25), 12 (48%) were completely free from nausea and vomiting, during 24 hours after administration of cisplatin.In the GM group (n=24), 12 patients (50%) had neither nausea nor emesis.Eighteen patients (72%) in the G group, and 18 (75%) in the GM group did not vomit at all.
We conclude that granisetron alone is effective in preventing acute anusea and vomiting induced by cisplatin. Addition of moderate-dose methylprednisolone to granisetron does not augment the number of patients completely free from nausea and vomiting during 24 hours after cisplatin administration, although it attenuates the symptoms of female patients during the first six hours.