[Clinical usefulness of ondansetron injection in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy]

Before and after launch of 5-HT3, antagonist, necessary dose and duration of chemotherapy were compared between the patients who were confirmed to have undergone chemotherapy before the launch of 5-HT3 antagonist (retrospective group) and the ones currently using ondansetron (OND) for chemotherapy-induced emesis (prospective group). Clinical usefulness of OND was evaluated through survey on quality of life (QOL) to patients and questionnaires to physicians, nurses & patients. Necessary dose of chemotherapy was evaluated by investigating actual dose of cisplatin (CDDP). As the result, necessary dose of CDDP was confirmed to be different between retrospective and prospective groups. The influence on the actual CDDP dose was observed with or without use of G-CSF or by recommended dose of CDDP, while no influence by 5-HT3 antagonist was observed. For necessary duration of chemotherapy, significant difference was not observed between retrospective or prospective groups. On the other hand, actual CDDP dose or necessary duration of chemotherapy were confirmed to be greatly affected by chemotherapy-induced adverse events such as blood disorder (e.g. bone marrow suppression) or renal disorder, rather than chemotherapy-induced emesis. As the result of QOL survey to patients and other questionnaires to medical staff & patients, the fact of chemotherapy-induced emesis to lower the patient's QOL as well as the importance of emetic control was confirmed. It was also confirmed that the workload of nurses or other medical staff has lessened since the launch of 5-HT3 antagonists.