Clinical trials have found the heartburn drug, pantoprazole, can prevent delayed nausea in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Two New Zealand oncologists presented their findings at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas last week.
The trials were funded by two breast cancer organisations, including the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
In tests conducted on 144 women, the PantoCIN clinical trial found 51% of patients who took pantoprazole had no delayed nausea or vomiting.
The remaining 49% who took the drug had reduced symptoms.
One of the lead research oncologists, Richard Issacs, says the results show pantoprazole could make the journey of breast cancer sufferers much smoother.
"They can continue to live their lives more normally," Issacs says.
Oncologist Navin Wewala, who conducted the trials with Issacs, says overall there was no increase in side effects when women took the drug.
"There are some patients that told us they had a much better experience," Wewala says.
Cristel Craig was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and suffered 'scary' delayed nausea during her chemotherapy.
"I was up in the middle of the night dry retching in the bathroom. My son was trying to look after me," Craig says.
According to Craig, the delayed nausea that set in a week after her chemotherapy was much worse than the initial sickness.
"You're feeling so bad, then on top of that you're feeling physically ill. If there is anything to make that journey less traumatic, that's good to know," she says.
The drug is currently available on prescription and can be prescribed by your doctor or oncologist.
Issacs say the drug could eventually be used for patients undergoing treatment for other cancers, once further tests are done.
"We haven't explored that yet. But it is very likely that people with other chemo that causes nausea could benefit," Issacs says.
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