Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting — current management

Abstract

Nausea and vomiting continue to be important side effects of anticancer chemotherapy. The introduction of new antiemetic agents (type 3 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonists and – more recently – neurokinin 1 receptor antagonists) has significantly improved chances to control chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in many patients. However, still some patients experience chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (delayed-phase symptoms being of particular significance). Among several reasons of unsatisfactory control, inadequate antiemetic management and guideline inconsistency appear to be important. The paper aims to present current antiemetic recommendations and confront them with clinical practice patterns in selected Polish oncology institutions participating in observational study.