II. Indications

III. Mechanism

  1. Blocks peripheral and central 5HT3 receptors
    1. Peripheral 5HT3 receptors at vagal nerve terminals
    2. Central 5HT3 receptors at ChemoreceptorTrigger Zone in Medulla (area postrema controls Vomiting)

IV. Dosing

  1. Nausea with Chemotherapy (adult dosing unless otherwise specified)
    1. Intravenous (adults and children age >2 years)
      1. Give 10 mcg/kg IV over 5 minutes given 30 minutes before Chemotherapy
    2. SQ (Sustol)
      1. Give 10 mg SQ given 30 min prior to Chemotherapy
    3. Oral
      1. Take 2 mg orally once daily OR 1 mg orally twice daily given 1 hour before Chemotherapy
    4. Transdermal (Sancuso, 34 mg patch delivers 3.1 mg per 24 hours)
      1. Apply 1 patch to upper outer arm 24 to 48 hours before Chemotherapy
      2. Remove 24 hours after Chemotherapy (may use 1 patch continuously for up to 7 days)
      3. Avoid exposing patch to heat or sunlight
  2. Nausea with Radiation Therapy (adult)
    1. Dose: 2 mg orally 1 hour before each Radiation Therapy treatment

VI. Safety

  1. Pregnancy Category B
  2. Unknown safety in Lactation

VIII. References

  1. Hamilton (2020) Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia
  2. Aapro (2004) Oncologist 9(6):673-86 +PMID: 15561811

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Related Studies

Cost: Medications

granisetron (on 2/22/2023 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing)
GRANISETRON HCL 1 MG TABLET Generic $2.23 each
sancuso (on 6/23/2022 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing)
SANCUSO 3.1 MG/24 HR PATCH $591.02 each

Ontology: Granisetron (C0061863)

Definition (NCI_NCI-GLOSS) The active ingredient in a drug used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment. Granisetron is a type of serotonin receptor antagonist and a type of antiemetic.
Definition (NCI) An indazole derivative with antiemetic properties. As a selective serotonin receptor antagonist, granisetron competitively blocks the action of serotonin at 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5-HT3) receptors, resulting in the suppression of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Definition (MSH) A serotonin receptor (5HT-3 selective) antagonist that has been used as an antiemetic for cancer chemotherapy patients.
Concepts Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109)
MSH D017829
SnomedCT 108424001, 372489005
English 1H-Indazole-3-carboxamide, 1-methyl-N-(9-methyl-9-azabicyclo(3.3.1)non-3-yl)-, endo-, granisetron, 1-Methyl-N-(9-methyl-endo-9-azabicyclo(3.3.1)non-3-yl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide, Granisetron [Chemical/Ingredient], Granisetron Transdermal System, 1-Methyl-N-(endo-9-Methyl-9-Azabicyclo(3.3.1)non-3-yl)-1H-Indazole-3-Carboxamide, GRANISETRON, Granisetron product, Granisetron (product), Granisetron (substance), GRAN, Granisetron
Swedish Granisetron
Czech granisetron
Finnish Granisetroni
Russian GRANISETRON, ГРАНИСЕТРОН
Japanese グラニセトロン
Spanish granisetrón (producto), granisetrona (producto), granisetrona, granisetrona (sustancia), granisetrón (sustancia), granisetrón, Granisetrón
Polish Granisetron
French Granisétron
German Granisetron
Italian Granisetrone
Portuguese Granisetron

Ontology: Kytril (C0107189)

Concepts Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109)
MSH D017829
English kytril, Kytril