Sick data.

While trials on immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies are coming out left and right, data remains shockingly scarce on one near ubiquitous problem among cancer patients: nausea. This prospective randomized pilot study evaluated oral olanzapine 5 mg daily versus placebo among 30 patients with advanced cancer to combat a history of “chronic”—well, at least one week of—nausea not on active treatment. Median baseline nausea scores were a whopping 9/10 (oof). After just one day, median nausea score remained 9 after placebo and only 2 after olanzapine (for one day!). After 7 days, those scores were 9 and 1, respectively. What’s more, no adverse event, not even sedation, was reported. TBL: Olanzapine is on its way to making it big as a cancer antiemetic. | Navari, JAMA Oncol 2020