The prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in children and adolescents receiving cancer treatment: the current status and possibilities for improvement

Abstract

Even though chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) rarely become life-threatening, they are regarded by patients as one of the most unbearable complications and can often cause great suffering. CINV may also be an aggravating factor for other complications and pathological conditions. The currently available antiemetic prophylaxis can greatly reduce the incidence of CINV in children and adolescents receiving cancer treatment. However, inadequate management of CINV is still much more common in children than in adults, and the integration of new antiemetic drugs into pediatric care is delayed because of specific regulatory requirements for drug studies in children. The aim of this article is to present current standards for prevention and treatment of CINV in children and adolescents as well as to suggest ways to improve them.