Emetogenic

Emetogenic refers to the potential of a drug or treatment to cause vomiting or nausea. It is a term commonly used in oncology to describe the side effects of certain chemotherapy drugs. The degree of emetogenicity varies among different drugs and treatments, and is categorized as high, moderate, low, or minimal.

Emetogenic Chemotherapy[edit | edit source]

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. However, these drugs can also affect healthy cells, leading to side effects such as nausea and vomiting. The likelihood and severity of these side effects depend on the emetogenic potential of the chemotherapy drugs used.

Highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) has a risk of causing vomiting in more than 90% of patients without antiemetic treatment. Drugs in this category include Cisplatin, Cyclophosphamide (high dose), and Dacarbazine.

Moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) has a risk of causing vomiting in 30-90% of patients without antiemetic treatment. Drugs in this category include Carboplatin, Cyclophosphamide (moderate dose), and Doxorubicin.

Low emetogenic chemotherapy (LEC) has a risk of causing vomiting in 10-30% of patients without antiemetic treatment. Drugs in this category include Gemcitabine, Paclitaxel, and Docetaxel.

Minimally emetogenic chemotherapy (mEC) has a risk of causing vomiting in less than 10% of patients without antiemetic treatment. Drugs in this category include Bleomycin, Vinblastine, and Vincristine.

Management of Emetogenicity[edit | edit source]

The management of emetogenicity involves the use of antiemetic drugs before, during, and after chemotherapy. These drugs work by blocking the signals that trigger nausea and vomiting. The choice of antiemetic drugs depends on the emetogenic potential of the chemotherapy drugs used.

For HEC and MEC, a combination of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, a NK1 receptor antagonist, and Dexamethasone is recommended. For LEC, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and Dexamethasone are recommended. For mEC, Dexamethasone alone is usually sufficient.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Emetogenic Resources
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