Oral Metoclopramide and Cisplatin Chemotherapy

Excerpt

To the editor: High-dose intravenous metoclopramide hydrochloride is extremely effective in decreasing nausea and vomiting caused by antineoplastic agents, such as cisplatin (1, 2). I wish to report the initial experience with high-dose oral metoclopramide. Eighteen patients (14 men, 4 women; median age, 53 years) received cisplatin (in addition to one or more other drugs including bleomycin sulfate, vinblastine sulfate, doxorubicin hydrochloride, or cyclophosphamide) as treatment for genitourinary, bronchogenic, or head and neck carcinoma. Fourteen patients received cisplatin in a daily intravenous dose of 20 mg/m² body surface area for 5 days; 4 patients received a single dose of 50