In the U.S., there are approximately 1.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year and more than 1.2 million Americans undergo chemotherapy-radiation treatments. Nausea and vomiting (NV) are widely recognized as frequent and serious side effects in the treatment of cancer.

The prominent role of NV in reducing a patient’s quality of life has been thoroughly documented. Despite significant advances in anti-emetic drugs, such as the 5HT3’s, NK1’s, and serotonin antagonists, NV often remains poorly controlled, particularly in what is called the “delayed” phase of symptoms, occurring on days 2-5 following treatment. In addition to treating NV, many of these medications have side effects which may contribute to the delay of treatment.