Chemotherapy-induced emesis is a major problem in the treatment of childhood malignancies and may result in increased patient morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Currently available antiemetic regimens are not entirely effective and many are associated with unacceptable side effects in children. Ondansetron, a new specific 5HT3 receptor antagonist, has been shown to be highly effective in controlling chemotherapy-induced emesis in adult patients. We conducted a study in 24 children patients receiving 54 courses of chemotherapy for control of emesis. ondansetron(5 mg/m) was given only one time intravenously 15 min before chemotherapy. the number of emetic episodes were recorded during the 24 hours following chemotherapy. The results of the study are as follows 1) The antiemetic efficacies of ondansetron were 85% in total 54 courses of chemotherapy, 90 % in non-cisplatin group, 40% in cisplatin group. 2) We compaired the number of emetic episodes induced by chemotherapy with ondansetron to that previously without ondansetron and analyzed the results according to chemotherapy regimens and children patients. there were statisticaly significant differences(p < 0.001, p < 0.001). 3) The adverse events were observed in 3/54(5.6%) cases: headache(l case), loose stool(1 case) and abdominal pain(l case). In spite of the fact the efficacy of a single intravenous dose was studied due to the high cost of the antiemetic studied, we concluded that a single intravenous dose regimen of ondansetron prior to anticancer chemotherapy showed significant antiemetic efficacy and acceptable safety, and that multiple dose of ondansetron with or without other antiementic drug deserve further studies in children.
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