The effectiveness of the new antiemetic drug, the 5-hydroxytryptamin (5-HT) receptor antagonist ondansetron was evaluated in paediatric cancer patients. 5-HT3 antagonists represent a new class of drugs effective in the control of chemo- and radiotherapy-induced emesis. Based on their selectivity 5-HT3 antagonist are free from extrapyramidal side effects, a major problem in children in the case of currently used dopamine receptor antagonists (e.g. metoclopramide). In this study ondansetron was tested as antiemetic in 33 children with malignant disease (132 chemotherapy cycles) treated with: 1. high-dose cisplatin (120 mg/m2), 2. intermediate-dose cisplatin (60 mg/m2) and 3. no cisplatin-containing, combined high-dose chemotherapy. Ondansetron was found to be safe and effective in the control of acute and delayed emesis in all treatment groups. Its effectiveness was superior to the currently used antiemetic drugs in the period of acute emesis.