ABSTRACT
Introduction Nausea and vomiting are two of the greatest fears of patients with cancer. They may be a result of the disease status of the patient but are more frequently associated with anti-cancer treatment. Inadequately controlled chemotherapy and radiation-induced nausea and vomiting can precipitate a number of medical complications that may prove life threatening, including dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, or cause physical damage, including Mallory-Weiss tears of the esophagus. The distressing symptoms of nausea and vomiting have a considerable impact on all aspects of the patients’ quality of life, as well as those of their family and caregivers. The distress resulting from these symptoms can escalate over time and can potentially lead to a patient’s refusal to continue with the most effective antitumor therapy.
