Nausea and vomiting were significantly reduced with daily olanzapine after 1 day and after 1 week.
Chronic nausea and vomiting are problematic in some cancer patients, even in the absence of ongoing cancer therapy. These symptoms can be more common with certain malignancies such as gastrointestinal carcinomas, despite the use of standard antiemetics.
Olanzapine is an oral antipsychotic medication used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It has been also used to treat cancer-related anorexia, but its dose-dependent sedating effects have limited its use. Now, investigators have conducted a double-blind randomized trial to evaluate whether low-dose olanzapine can reduce chronic nausea and vomiting in 30 patients with advanced cancer.
Patients were not allowed to have received chemotherapy or radiotherapy in the 14 …
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead
Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation
Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead
Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation
Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)