European journal of cancer : official journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A double-blind crossover study comparing prophylactic intravenous granisetron alone or in combination with dexamethasone as antiemetic treatment in controlling nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.
The efficacies of granisetron plus dexamethasone and granisetron alone in controlling nausea and vomiting during two consecutive cycles of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy given for up to 5 days were compared in a two-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. In all, 110 evaluable patients received either dexamethasone, 20 mg i.v., or matching placebo, plus open-label granisetron, 3 mg i.v., given on each chemotherapy day. At cycle 2, patients crossed over to the alternative treatment; 72 patients completed the crossover. ⋯ Adverse events tended to be minor, with asthenia and insomnia the most common. Of those patients who expressed a preference, 67% preferred granisetron plus dexamethasone (P < 0.05). A single dose of dexamethasone added to granisetron thus enhances the efficacy of granisetron alone in preventing nausea and vomiting after moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.