A Randomized Comparison of Tropisetron versus Ondansetron in the Control of Nausea and Vomiting in Gynecologic Cancer Patients Undergone Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy

Kim, Y B; Kim, J W; Seo, D G; Lee, C M; Park, N H; Song, Y S; Kang, S B; Lee, H P

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIM: Nausea and vomiting are, from the patient`s viewpoint, by far the most distressing adverse effects related to the treatment with anticancer chemotherapy, especially with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antiemetic effectiveness and tolerability of tropisetron (Navoban(R)) and ondansetron (Zofran(R)) in gynecologic cancer patients receiving cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy. MATERIALS & METHODS: Sixty seven patients receiving cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy were enrolled after randomization into two groups (group A and group B) and received either the tropisetron or the ondansetron respectively. The efficacy of controlling acute/delayed emesis and adverse effects were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel test.
RESULTS
The efficacy of controlling nausea with tropisetron and ondansetron was 80.6% and 80.0% in day 1; 64.5% and 70.0% in day 2; 61.3% and 76.7% in day 3; 74.2% and 66.7% in day 4; 67.7% and 76.7% in day 5; 80.6% and 80.0% in day 6 respectively. The efficacy of controlling vomiting with tropisetron and ondansetron was 83.9% and 93.3% in day 1; 71.0% and 80.0% in day 2; 74.2% and 76.7% in day 3; 77.4% and 73.3% in day 4; 87.1% and 70.0% in day 5; 90.3% and 80.0% in day 6 respectively. Statistically all of these results were not significantly different. Headache, constipation and diarrhea were common adverse effects in both groups and these were not statistically significantly different in incidence and severity.
CONCLUSIONS
Although the efficacy of tropisetron in controlling nausea/vomiting induced by cisplatin-based chemotherapy is not more excellent than that of ondansetron, it seems to be a clinically useful drug due to its simplicity of administration.