EFFECTIVENESS OF GRANISETRON, A SPECIFIC 5-HT3 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST, IN THE CONTROL OF RADIATION-INDUCED EMESIS DURING TOTAL BODY IRRADIATION: REPORT OF A CASE

Abstract

Granisetron is a specific 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist which has shown a potential in the control of radiation-induced emesis. The authors describe the effectiveness of granisetron in the control of emesis resulting from total body irradiation (TBI).
The patient was a 19-year-old man who underwent TBI as a part of the conditioning regimen prior to a bone marrow transplantation for myelodysplastic syndrome (RAEB). TBI was delivered at 12Gy/6 fractions/3 days at a dose rate of 5cGy/min. Granisetron was administered intravenously once a day at a dose of 40μg/kg 120 minutes prior to irradiation. The patient did not complain of nausea or vomiting and TBI was not interrupted at any time.