Olanzapine: an antiemetic option for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Despite the appropriate use of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic preventative measures, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) can be debilitating and can decrease quality of life for many patients. In addition, patients may be unwilling to continue chemotherapy treatment due to the uncontrollable nausea and vomiting associated with their therapy. Refractory CINV can occur at any point in a treatment cycle, despite adequate therapy for acute and delayed CINV. Current prevention strategies include using serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonists, corticosteroids, and/or neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists. Unfortunately, more pharmacologic options are needed to treat refractory CINV. The current standard of care for the treatment of refractory CINV includes phenothiazines, metoclopramide, butyrophenones, corticosteroids, cannabinoids, anticholinergics, and 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic agent of the thiobenzodiazepine class, has the ability to target many different receptors, making it an attractive antiemetic agent.