Neurokinin-1-receptor antagonists: a new approach in antiemetic therapy

Onkologie. 2006 Feb;29(1-2):39-43. doi: 10.1159/000089800.

Abstract

Aprepitant (Emend), the first neurokinin-1-receptor antagonist (NK-1-RA), represents a new class of antiemetics. Aprepitant has been approved for the prevention and treatment of acute (0-24 h after chemotherapy) and delayed (1-5 days after chemotherapy) emesis resulting from cisplatin-based chemotherapy and moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. The addition of aprepitant to standard antiemetic therapy in cisplatin-based chemotherapy significantly improves emesis protection in general and, in particular, in the delayed phase by approximately 20%. Results from a recently published study in patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy suggest a benefit of aprepitant when combined with dexamethasone and a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist for the prevention of acute emesis, followed by aprepitant as a single agent in the prevention of delayed emesis. Altogether, the addition of aprepitant to the standard antiemetic regimen (5-HT(3) receptor antagonist and dexamethasone) significantly improves the protection against vomiting in the acute as well as in the delayed phase in highly and moderately emetogenic chemotherapies. Therefore, the combination of a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist, dexamethasone and aprepitant should be considered as a new standard antiemetic therapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antiemetics / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Aprepitant
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Humans
  • Morpholines / administration & dosage
  • Nausea / drug therapy*
  • Nausea / etiology*
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vomiting / drug therapy*
  • Vomiting / etiology*

Substances

  • Antiemetics
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Morpholines
  • Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists
  • Aprepitant