Background Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting are two of the most frequent manifestations that appear in cancer patients that significantly affect the course of their disease.

Purpose The objectives of this study are:

1. to describe the antiemetic treatment used in patients with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy,

2. to determine the degree of adaptation to the good clinical practise guides for the management of this type of complication, in other words how closely treatment followed the ASCO, MASCC and NCCN guideline recommendations,

3. to analyse the effectiveness of those treatments and known adverse reactions that patients may suffer because of antiemetic or chemotherapy drugs.

Materials and Methods A descriptive, transversal and observational study of one month. The study included breast cancer patients from the day hospital who had received at least one previous chemotherapy cycle. Variables were collected using a questionnaire completed by the patient and pharmacy service software.

Results Of 47 patients, 32 agreed to participate in the study, with a mean age of 50.7 years (SD = 9.8). On day 1 post-chemotherapy, 34.4% of treatments did not follow the guidelines and on days 2, 3 and 4 this increased to 46.9%. 31.3% of patients experienced acute nausea and 15.6% acute emesis, 43.8% developed late nausea and 18.75% late vomiting. The number of patients with anticipatory nausea and vomiting was lower. The complete response to antiemetic treatment (absence of nausea, vomiting and need for antiemetic rescue medication) was achieved in 50% of patients. The most common averse events suffered by patients were fatigue, weakness (75.0%) and insomnia (56.3%).

Conclusions The lack of compliance with guidelines together with the results obtained of inefficiency of the treatment mean that we require new therapeutic strategies to allow us to obtain better control of emesis.

No conflict of interest.