Longo, F., Mansueto, G., Lapadula, V., Stumbo, L., DelBene, G., Adua, D., … Quadrini, S. (2012). Combination of aprepitant, palonosetron and dexamethasone as antiemetic prophylaxis in lung cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 66, 753-757.
To evaluate whether the antiemetic efficacy of triple combination aprepitant, palonosetron, and dexamethasone could be sustained for up to six cycles of highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) (cisplatin ≥ 50 mg/m2)
To be eligible, patients had to be chemotherapy-naïve adults with lung cancer, have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) of 0–2, and be receiving 4–6 cycles platinum-based therapy (cisplatin ≥ 50 mg/m2).
All eligible patients received 125 mg oral aprepitant, 0.25 mg IV palonosetron, and 20 mg IV dexamethasone before chemotherapy on day 1, and 80 mg oral aprepitant and 4 mg oral or intramuscular dexamethasone on days 2 and 3. Patients recorded all vomiting episodes, any use of rescue medication, and the severity of nausea on 4-point Likert-type scale in diaries for 5 days (0–120 hours) after chemotherapy during all planned cycles.
The study was conducted at multiple outpatient sites in Italy.
All patients were in active antitumor treatment.
This was a prospective observational study.
The triple combination of aprepitant, palonosetron, and dexamethasone enhanced antiemetic protection during the first cycle and the efficacy was sustained for up to six cycles of cisplatin-based highly emeotgenic chemotherapy (HEC) in patients with lung cancer. The majority (84%) of patients were able to complete their planned number of chemotherapy treatment cycles.
Patients with advanced stage lung cancer treated with HEC who are given CINV prophylaxis according to accepted guidelines prior to each cycle maintain the benefit from the CINV prophylaxis through all cycles of treatment. Managing the distress caused by CINV may increase overall quality of life and is an important consideration when treating patients with palliative chemotherapy.