Antiemetics: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update - ASCO

Antiemetics: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update

Posted ahead of on http://www.jco.org/  on September 26, 2011

Ethan Basch, Ann Alexis Prestrud, Paul J. Hesketh, Mark G. Kris, Petra C. Feyer, Mark R. Somerfield, Maurice Chesney, Rebecca Anne Clark-Snow, Anne Marie Flaherty, Barbara Freundlich, Gary Morrow, Kamakshi V. Rao, Rowena N. Schwartz, and Gary H. Lyman

Special Announcement (September 26, 2011): The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is informing the public of an ongoing safety review of the anti-nausea drug Zofran (ondansetron, ondansetron hydrochloride and their generics). Ondansetron may increase the risk of developing abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart, which can result in a potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythm. Please visit the FDA website for additional information.

Purpose: To update the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline for antiemetics in oncology.
Methods: A systematic review of the medical literature was completed to inform this update. MEDLINE, the Cochrane Collaboration Library, and meeting materials from ASCO and the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer were all searched. Primary outcomes of interest were complete response and rates of any vomiting or nausea.

Results: Thirty-seven trials met prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria for this systematic review. Two systematic reviews from the Cochrane Collaboration were identified; one surveyed the pediatric literature. The other compared the relative efficacy of the 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) antagonists.

Recommendations: Combined anthracycline and cyclophosphamide regimens were reclassified as highly emetic. Patients who receive this combination or any highly emetic agents should receive a 5-HT3 antagonist, dexamethasone, and a neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonist. A large trial validated the equivalency of fosaprepitant, a single-day formulation, with aprepitant; either therapy is appropriate. Preferential use of palonosetron is recommended for moderate emetic risk regimens, combined with dexamethasone. For low-risk agents, patients can be offered dexamethasone before the first dose of chemotherapy. Patients undergoing high emetic risk radiation therapy should receive a 5-HT3 antagonist before each fraction and for 24 hours after treatment and may receive a 5-day course of dexamethasone before fractions 1 to 5. The Update Committee noted the importance of continued symptom monitoring throughout therapy. Clinicians underestimate the incidence of nausea, which is not as well controlled as emesis.

The practice guideline is not intended to substitute for the independent professional judgment of the treating physician. Practice guidelines do not account for individual variation among patients and may not reflect the most recent evidence. The guideline does not recommend any particular product or course of medical treatment. Use of the practice guideline and summary is voluntary.
Last updated: 9/26/11

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Antiemetics: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update - ASCO