[Management of nausea, vomiting and anorexia due to anticancer agents]

This report outlines measures for controlling nausea, vomiting, and anorexia caused by anticancer agents. Combination therapy with a 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT3) receptor antagonist and a steroid preparation is effective for controlling acute vomiting. In the chronic stage, however, the response to 5-HT3 receptor antagonists is less marked, so a steroid preparation is used as the major treatment in combination with a 5-HT3-receptor antagonist or metoclopramide. The antiemetic effect of recently developed tachykinin NK-1 (NK-1)-receptor antagonists has been shown to be additive to that of existing treatments for acute and chronic symptoms, especially chronic nausea/vomiting. Steroid preparations have been shown to improve anorexia, while medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA: a synthetic progesterone) has been reported to improve anorexia and promote weight gain.