Phase II, Open, Randomized Comparative Trial of Two Different Schedules of Palonosetron Versus Ondansetron for the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies Receiving Regimens Containing High-dose Cytarabine

Chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting is a frequent problem among patients with leukemia that can lead to further medical problems, such as malnutrition, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and a lower quality of life. Cytarabine, one of the drugs that is used to treat AML and high-risk MDS, is known to cause nausea and/or vomiting, so all patients that receive chemotherapy with cytarabine also need to receive medication to prevent these side effects.

One standard-of-care drug to treat chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting is called Ondansetron. Palonosetron is a new drug similar to Ondansetron that is designed to stay longer in the bloodstream. Researchers want to find out if palonosetron can prevent nausea and vomiting better than ondansetron.

Women who are able to have children must have a negative blood or urine pregnancy test before starting treatment.

If you are still eligible to take part in this study, you will be randomly assigned (as in the roll of the dice) to one of 3 treatment groups. Participants in the first group will be given Ondansetron as an intravenous (IV--through a needle in your vein) continuous infusion, from 30 minutes before your chemotherapy treatment until 12 hours after chemotherapy ends. This is considered the standard of care.

Participants assigned to the second treatment group will be given palonosetron once a day by IV injection for 5 days. Each dose will be given over a period of 30 seconds, 30 minutes before your chemotherapy treatment.