Can olanzapine preserve life quality in cancer patients undergoing abdominal radiation therapy?

Does an Antipsychotic Hold the Key to Nausea Treatment in Cancer Patients? A Review on the Anti-Nausea Effects of Olanzapine in Oncology

“…Chemotherapy has the astonishing ability to stunt the growth of a tumour or even kill it, but not without killing nearby normal cells, causing a wide array of adverse effects 10 . Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) occurs when serotonin (5HT-3) receptors located in the upper gastrointestinal region become stimulated, thus causing stimulation of the vomiting center located in the medulla oblongata, along with the stimulation of neurokinin-1 (NK-1) and dopamine (D2) receptors found in the chemoreceptor trigger zone 6,11 . Other stimulated areas include the area postrema, cerebral cortex, and the limbic system 6 .…”

“…Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) occurs when serotonin (5HT-3) receptors located in the upper gastrointestinal region become stimulated, thus causing stimulation of the vomiting center located in the medulla oblongata, along with the stimulation of neurokinin-1 (NK-1) and dopamine (D2) receptors found in the chemoreceptor trigger zone 6,11 . Other stimulated areas include the area postrema, cerebral cortex, and the limbic system 6 . Knowing the causative agents behind CINV means that treatment can target these receptors via blockade of serotonin, dopamine, and substance P 11 .…”

“…RT induces vomiting via the stimulation of release of serotonin from enterochromaffin cells within the intestines and stomach, along with the release of substance P from the brain and dopamine which is proposed to also increase changes in gastrointestinal motility. This allows for the activation of NK-1 receptors, D2 receptors, and 5HT3 receptors 6 , which makes treatment of RINV apparently like CINV in the blockade of these receptors.…”

“…Cancer-associated nausea and vomiting, particularly chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) induced nausea and vomiting (CINV and RINV, respectively), pose unique challenges for patients and healthcare workers alike. Due to its distressing nature, many patients living with CINV experience poor quality of life [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] . Chemotherapy dramatically alters the gastrointestinal (GI) system's microbiome, leading to not only widespread negative GI impacts such as abdominal pain and nausea, but also poor mental health 8 .…”

“…In fact, having the lived experience of cancer and all the complex nuances that accompany it increase one's risk of having a psychiatric disorder 9 . Because of its background as an antipsychotic, olanzapine's propensity for aiding in mental health-related symptoms in patients living with cancer is an added benefit 6 . This discovery allows for the unification of two branches of medicine: psychiatry and oncology, where patients living through the adversities of cancer may find solace from CINV and the mental health implications that arise from having a cancer diagnosis, all by using an unlikely hero such as olanzapine.…”