Nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and principles of management in their prevention

Nowadays, there are many effective cancer treatments that use different combinations of chemotherapeutics agents to destroy cancer cells, often in advanced stages when radical surgery methods are no longer possible. Unfortunately, the toxicity of treatment can cause many side effects. One of them is nausea and vomiting, which significantly affects the quality of life and is a challenge for cancer patients. Nausea and vomiting affect 40-80% of patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The likelihood of their occurrence depends on the treatment regimen, dose and route of administration. Of course, patient-related factors also play a role. The use of combination antiemetics, including setrons in combination with a neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist and glucocorticosteroids, can effectively prevent nausea and vomiting - in the early type in about 80-90% of patients and in the late type in about 60-80%. Nausea and vomiting can significantly reduce the quality of life of patents undergoing cancer treatment. However, adherence to an appropriate treatment regimen ensures that patients have an optimal quality of life during treatment. This article discusses current strategies for the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting using antiemetic drugs.