Radiation-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Author:
Susan Urba From the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Search for other papers by Susan Urba in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
 MD
Full access

Radiation-induced nausea and vomiting is a common problem for cancer patients. The emetogenic potential of radiation depends greatly on the location of the radiation field, the size of the radiation field, and the fractionation scheme. Radiation fields can be categorized as having high, moderate, low, or minimal emetogenic risk, and treatment differs accordingly. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology publish clinical practice guidelines addressing the issue of radiation-induced nausea and vomiting. This article reviews the treatment recommendations for each category of radiation-induced nausea and vomiting from these national and international guideline committees and provides the rationale for these recommendations.

Correspondence: Susan Urba, MD, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, C1361 MIB, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. E-mail: surba@umich.edu
  • Collapse
  • Expand
  • 1.

    Danjoux CE, Rider WD, Fitzpatrick PJ. The acute radiation syndrome. A memorial to William Michael Court-Brown. Clin Radiol 1979;30:581584.

  • 2.

    The Italian Group for Antiemetic Research in Radiotherapy. Radiation-induced emesis: a prospective observational multicenter Italian trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Bio Phys 1999;44:619625.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 3.

    Horiot JC. Prophylaxis versus treatment: is there a better way to manage radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2004;15:10181025.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 4.

    Ettinger DS, Bierman PJ, Bradbury B et al.. The NCCN antiemesis clinical practice guidelines in oncology, version 2, 2006. Available at: http://www.nccn.org/physician_gls/index.html. Accessed November 2, 2006.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 5.

    Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. Antiemetic Guideline Consensus. Available at: http://www.mascc.org/ktml2/images/uploads/Resource_centers/MASCC_Guidelines_Update_9_05.pdf. Accessed November 2, 2006.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 6.

    American Society of Clinical Oncology Kris MG, Hesketh PJ et al.. American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines for antiemetics in oncology: update 2006. J Clin Oncol 2006;24:29322947.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 7.

    Belkacemi Y, Ozsahin M, Pene F et al.. Total body irradiation prior to bone marrow transplantation: efficacy and safety of granisetron in the prophylaxis and control of radiation-induced emesis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1996;36:7782.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8.

    Spitzer TR, Friedman CJ, Bushnell W et al.. Double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study on the efficacy and safety of oral granisetron and oral ondansetron in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving hyperfractionated total body irradiation. Bone Marrow Transplant 2000;26:203210.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9.

    Gralla R, Lichinitser M, Van Der Vegt S et al.. Palonosetron improves prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting following moderately emetogenic chemotherapy: results of a double-blind randomized phase III trial comparing single doses of palonosetron with ondansetron. Ann Oncol 2003;14:15701577.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10.

    Eisenberg P, Figueroa-Vadillo J, Zamora R et al.. Improved prevention of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting with palonosetron, a pharmacologically novel 5-HT3 receptor antagonist: results of a phase III, single-dose trial versus dolasetron. Cancer 2003;98:24732482.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11.

    Aapro M, Grunberg S, Manikhas G et al.. A phase III, double-blind, randomized trial of palonosetron compared with ondansetron in preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting following highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Ann Oncol 2006;17:14411449.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12.

    Franzen L, Nyman J, Hagberg H et al.. A randomised placebo controlled study with ondansetron in patients undergoing fractionated radiotherapy. Ann Oncol 1996;7:587592.

  • 13.

    Kirkbride P, Bezjak A, Pater J et al.. Dexamethasone for the prophylaxis of radiation induced emesis: a National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group phase III study. J Clin Oncol 2000;18:19601966.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 14.

    Lanciano R, Sherman DM, Michalski J et al.. The efficacy and safety of once-daily kytril (granisetron hydrochloride) tablets in the prophylaxis of nausea and emesis following fractionated upper abdominal radiotherapy. Cancer Invest 2001;19:763772.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

Metrics

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 2678 1989 163
PDF Downloads 558 158 21
EPUB Downloads 0 0 0