• Edgar Petru, Johannes Andel, Lukas Angleitner-Boubenizek, Günther Steger, Marianne Bernhart, Kerstin Busch, Otto Gehmacher, Tamara Hernler, Uwe Kastner, Angelika Lanz-Veit, Ursula Pluschnigg, Jana Polachova, Michael Rohde, Lothar Schiller, Rene Schramböck, Wolfgang Stangl, Ralf Thödtmann, and August Zabernigg.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. edgar.petru@klinikum-graz.at
• Wien Med Wochenschr. 2008 Jan 1; 158 (5-6): 169-73.

BackgroundPalonosetron is a new generation 5-HT3-receptor antagonist with a significantly prolonged half-life and a once-a-day administration compared to the conventional setrons. To evaluate the antiemetic efficacy of palonosetron in the daily hospital practice setting, a postmarketing study was carried out in Austria.MethodsPalonosetron was administered at 0.25 mg on day 1 of each cycle to 135 cancer patients who received moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy either as an IV bolus or as a short-term infusion. Two thirds of these patients were females (n = 90), the majority had breast cancer (n = 38) and the majority received cisplatin, carboplatin, anthracyclines, 5-fluorouracil or cyclophosphamide.ResultsThe complete antiemetic response rate was 68 % overall with 87 % efficacy on day 1 and 72 % efficacy on days 2 to 5. Higher antiemetic response was achieved in male patients, in patients being aged > or = 50 years, and in chemonaive patients. Twenty-four percent of patients needed rescue medication. Only 1.5 % of patients reported mild adverse events.ConclusionsPalonosetron resulted in high antiemetic efficacy in this study. Female gender and age < or = 50 years should be particularly considered when the antiemetic regimen is selected.

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