TREATMENT
Current status and future
considerations in treatment
Continuing research into the development of new antiemetics
is necessary to provide an improved quality of life for both
adult and paediatric cancer patients
Tiene Bauters PharmD PhD
Department of Pharmacy,
Department of Pediatric
Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell
Transplantation, Ghent University
Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
Chemotherapy-induced
nausea and vomiting (CINV)
remains a distressing side-effect of
cancer treatment. Inadequately
controlled CINV can lead to
treatment complications,
anorexia, dehydration,
malnutrition, and metabolic
imbalances. The emotional and
physical distress and the impact
on the quality of life of the
patient cannot be ignored.
Severe symptoms of CINV can
even lead to withdrawal from
the curative treatment regimen. 1–3
A better understanding of the
pathophysiology of CINV, greater
(even if not optimal) adherence to
international guidelines, and the
introduction of new pharmacologic
classes of antiemetics have led to
a better control of CINV. Although
a number of new drugs have been
approved for the management of
CINV in recent years, a significant
number of patients still experience
CINV. The management of nausea,
in particular, represents the real
unmet medical need in this field. 3–9
Classification of
chemotherapeutics according
to emetogenicity
Management of CINV has been
facilitated by the introduction
hospitalpharmacyeurope.com | 2019 | 51