THC helps to reduce delayed nausea following cancer

Results of a new study show that THC (dronabinol) capsules help to reduce delayed nausea and vomiting following cancer chemotherapy. The study was presented on 16 May at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Annual Meeting in Orlando, USA. It used Marinol, synthetic THC of Solvay Pharmaceuticals and was conducted by investigators at Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida, Compassionate Cancer Care in Fountain Valley, California, Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, among others.

The research also suggested that adding a small dose of THC (2.5 mg) to the standard preventive antiemetic regimen helped relieve acute nausea and vomiting on the day of chemotherapy. On days 2 through 5 following chemotherapy, the study concluded that continued treatment with THC alone, or in combination with ondansetron (a commonly used drug against nausea and vomiting), was more effective than placebo in reducing delayed nausea and vomiting and comparable to ondansetron alone. Symptoms occurring on day 1 following chemotherapy are referred to as acute nausea and vomiting. Delayed nausea occurs more than 24 hours following chemotherapy treatment and sometimes is a result of poor symptom management of acute symptoms.

64 subjects receiving moderate to high emetogenic chemotherapy were included in a placebo-controlled, double- blind, parallel group, five-day study. Subjects were randomized into four therapy groups for evaluation on days 2 through 5: (1) THC; (2) ondansetron; (3) combination THC and ondansetron and (4) placebo. All groups received a standard pre- chemotherapy antiemetic regimen of dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) and ondansetron.

On day 1 total response to antiemetic treatment was observed in 79 percent of subjects receiving 2.5 mg THC in addition to standard medication compared to 40 percent of subjects receiving only the standard antiemetic therapy. On days 2 through 5 efficacy of THC was comparable to ondansetron. Both were significantly more effective in combating nausea and vomiting than placebo.

"Despite the introduction of new chemotherapy treatments and antiemetics since the approval of Marinol in 1985, there still remains an unmet need for patients suffering from nausea and vomiting," said Dr. Harold H. Shlevin, president of Solvay Pharmaceuticals.

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(Source: Medical News Today of 16 May 2005)