Charles Loprinzi, MD of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN discusses the use of olanzapine for nausea control in chemotherapy-treated patients. Data show that olanzapine, an antipsychotic medication, can reduce nausea and vomiting when combined with standard antiemetic chemotherapy, like 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, NK1 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone. There are different guidelines for antiemetics, when used with chemotherapy. The NCCN guidelines recommend the use of olanzapine for the last couple of years. It is worth noting that olanzapine can cause drowsiness in patients, which should be considered when treatment decisions are made. Recorded at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and International Society of Ocular Oncology (ISOO) 2016 Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer held in Adelaide, Australia.
