Published in:
01-03-2015 | Original Paper
Aprepitant as prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide-based regimen for adjuvant breast cancer
Authors:
Icro Meattini, Giulio Francolini, Vieri Scotti, Carla De Luca Cardillo, Sabrina Cappelli, Fiammetta Meacci, Ilaria Francesca Furfaro, Cristina Muntoni, Silvia Scoccianti, Beatrice Detti, Monica Mangoni, Jacopo Nori, Lorenzo Orzalesi, Massimiliano Fambrini, Simonetta Bianchi, Lorenzo Livi
Published in:
Medical Oncology
|
Issue 3/2015
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Abstract
The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a three-drug antiemetic prophylaxis in a single-center series treated with anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide-based regimen for BC. We collected data from 92 consecutive patients treated with routine antiemetic prophylaxis consisted of aprepitant (oral 125 mg, on day 1; oral 80 mg, on days 2 and 3), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (palonosetron iv 0.25 mg, on day 1), and dexamethasone (iv 12 mg, on day 1). Acute and delayed phases were defined as the first 24 h and days 2–5 after treatment, respectively. Therapy outcomes were defined as complete response (CR), in case of no vomiting, no rescue treatment; complete protection (CP), in case of no vomiting, no rescue treatment, no significant nausea; and total control (TC), in case of no vomiting, no rescue treatment, no nausea. Overall, 89.1 and 81.5 % of patients showed CR in acute and delayed phase, respectively; 67.4 and 62 % showed CP in acute and delayed phase, respectively; and 52.2 and 48.9 % of patients showed TC in acute and delayed phase, respectively. 4.3 % complained an episode of emesis during the first 24 h from treatment, while in delayed phase, only 2.2 % of patients had vomiting. Our analysis confirmed that a three-drug prophylaxis is safe, effective, and consequently highly recommended in patients who undergo anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide-based regimens, though still not classified as highly emetogenic chemotherapy by all the international guidelines.