Nausea and Vomiting Nausea and vomiting are two of the most common side effects of cancer treatment. They are actually two different physical actions. Nausea is the unpleasant wavelike feeling in the back of the throat or stomach that may or may not result in vomiting. Vomiting is the forceful elimination of the contents of the stomach. Both of these actions are controlled by the central nervous system.
Chemotherapy is the most common treatment-related cause of nausea and vomiting.
The drug, dose, schedule and method of administration all determine how often nausea occurs and how severe it will be. Usually, these symptoms can be prevented or controlled. Radiation therapy to certain parts of the body can also cause nausea and vomiting. Because cells of the GI tract are dividing quickly, they are very sensitive to radiation therapy. In general, the higher the daily dose of radiation and the greater the amount of tissue that is exposed, the more nausea and vomiting are likely to occur.