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ASCO Revises Guidelines on Antiemetics

Committee issues evidence-based update

Publish date:: November 10, 2015

An update committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued revised guidelines on the use of antiemtic drugs based on results of 2 phase III clinical trials and a randomized phase II dose-ranging study. Their recommendation is:

• All patients who receive highly emetogenic chemotherapy regimens (including anthracycline plus cyclophosphamide) should be offered a three-drug combination of an NK1 receptor antagonist, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone.

• The oral combination of netupitant and palonosetron plus dexamethasone is an additional treatment option in this setting.

• The remaining recommendations from the 2011 ASCO guideline are unchanged pending a full update.

Citation: Hesketh PJ, Bohlke K, Lyman GH, et al. Antiemetics: American Society of Clinical Oncology Focused Guideline Update. [Published online ahead of print November 2, 2015]. J Clin Oncol. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.64.3635.

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