Comparison of antiemetic efficacy of granisetron and ondansetron in Oriental patients: a randomized crossover study

Br J Cancer. 1998 May;77(10):1683-5. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1998.277.

Abstract

A double-blind randomized crossover trial was performed to compare the antiemetic efficacy of two 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, granisetron and ondansetron, in Chinese patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil) for breast cancer. Twenty patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy with either granisetron on day 1 and ondansetron on day 8 of the first cycle followed by the reverse order in the second cycle, or vice versa. The number of vomiting episodes and the severity of nausea in the first 24 h (acute vomiting/nausea) and the following 7 days (delayed vomiting/nausea) were studied. Acute vomiting was completely prevented in 29 (72.5%) cycles with granisetron and 27 (67.5%) cycles with ondansetron, and treatment failure (>5 vomiting episodes) occurred in two (5%) cycles with each agent (P = NS). Acute nausea was completely controlled in 15 (37.5%) cycles with granisetron and 14 (35%) cycles with ondansetron, whereas severe acute nausea occurred in four (10%) cycles with each agent (P = NS). However, complete response for delayed vomiting was observed in only 21 (52.5%) cycles with granisetron and 22 (55%) cycles with ondansetron (P = NS), and delayed nausea was completely controlled in only 11 (27.5%) and ten (25%) cycles respectively (P = NS). In conclusion, both granisetron and ondansetron are effective in controlling acute nausea and vomiting in Chinese patients, with equivalent antiemetic efficacy. Control of delayed nausea and vomiting is less satisfactory.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antiemetics / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Granisetron / therapeutic use*
  • Hong Kong
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Nausea / prevention & control
  • Ondansetron / therapeutic use*
  • Vomiting / prevention & control

Substances

  • Antiemetics
  • Ondansetron
  • Granisetron