Updated nausea and vomiting treatment guidelines offered to cancer patients.

2004 MAY 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society collaborated to update Nausea and Vomiting Treatment Guidelines for Patients with Cancer.

This title is one of a series, available in booklet form or online, that is dedicated to educating patients and their families about the treatment of cancer and associated side effects.

"The nausea and vomiting which may be associated with cancer and its treatments can, at times, be overwhelming to patients," said William T. McGivney, PhD, chief executive officer of NCCN.

"Our goal in updating this booklet is to provide patients and their families with the most current information they need to work with their health care team to prevent and to treat nausea and vomiting."

Cancer treatment-related vomiting can be successfully treated or even prevented in most patients. By maintaining open communication between the patient and the physician, anti-vomiting medication can be adjusted to control this unpleasant symptom.

Because some chemotherapy regimens may cause delayed vomiting, it is important that patients talk with their physicians about the specific regimens they are receiving and how long to take the anti-nausea medications.

NCCN Treatment Guidelines for Patients are the result of a collaborative effort between NCCN and the American Cancer Society and are derived directly from the Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology developed for physicians by the NCCN.