• Presence and degree of nausea and vomiting in the acute and delayed phases after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy as recorded in the patient's diary over days 1-5 [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
• Impact of nausea and vomiting on the patient's quality of life as measured by the Functional Living Index - Emesis scale at baseline and at 5-7 days [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
• Comparison of this study's findings with those from aprepitant-containing anti-emetic studies conducted with cisplatin-containing regimens [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
• Investigation of potential factors predisposing patients to nausea and vomiting (e.g., gender, age, prior chemotherapy experience, or tendency toward development of motion-sickness) [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

RATIONALE: Learning how often patients experience nausea and vomiting after receiving anti-vomiting medicine and chemotherapy for colorectal cancer may help doctors plan better treatment and improve patients' quality of life.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying delayed nausea and vomiting in patients with colorectal cancer receiving standard anti-vomiting medicine during the first course of chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES:

• To assess the prevalence of delayed nausea and vomiting in patients with colorectal cancer receiving standard anti-emetic medications during the first course of an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen (mFOLFOX6 or FOLFOX7).

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients undergo collection of demographic, diagnostic, and treatment data at baseline. Patients complete the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE) questionnaire at baseline prior to first chemotherapy infusion and at 5-7 days. Patients also fill out daily patient diaries about symptoms of nausea and vomiting, and use of medications to prevent these symptoms over days 1-5.

• Colorectal Cancer
• Nausea and Vomiting

• Drug: fluorouracil
• Drug: leucovorin calcium
• Drug: oxaliplatin
• Other: questionnaire administration
• Procedure: assessment of therapy complications
• Procedure: nausea and vomiting therapy
• Procedure: quality-of-life assessment

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of colorectal cancer

• Currently receiving OR scheduled to receive the first course of either of the following chemotherapy regimens:

  • mFOLFOX6
  • FOLFOX7
• No clinical or imaging evidence of brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Able to maintain a diary and complete a standardized quality of life questionnaire in English

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 90 days since prior aprepitant