Improved control of nausea and emesis with a new bromazepam-containing ondansetron regimen in ovarian cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with carboplatin and cyclophosphamide.

BACKGROUND

Ondansetron was found to be effective as an antiemetic in numerous clinical trials of highly emetogenic combination-chemotherapy regimens that included cisplatin. Its role in milder emetogenic regimes has not been fully defined.

METHODS

This study investigated the efficacy of two different antiemetic regimes in thirty-five patients with ovarian cancer receiving 68 cycles of chemotherapy with carboplatin (350 mg/m2) and cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2). Ondansetron (3 x 8 mg i.v.) was compared to a bromazepam-containing ondansetron regimen.

RESULTS

Nausea was absent in 65% of chemotherapy courses in patients receiving the combination of ondansetron and bromazepam and in 38% of chemotherapy courses in patients receiving ondansetron alone. Complete control of emesis was achieved in 93% of the courses in patients receiving the combination and in 81% of the courses using ondansetron alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of bromazepam to ondansetron, and the extension of antiemetic prophylaxis to the day before and the day after chemotherapy improves the control of nausea and emesis compared to ondansetron monotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer.