DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Scheduled to receive a first course of highly emetogenic single day cancer chemotherapy regimens including: Cisplatin at least 50 mg/m2 Carboplatin at least 300 mg/m2 Dacarbazine at least 500 mg/m2 Doxorubicin at least 40 mg/m2 Epirubicin at least 60 mg/m2 Ifosfamide at least 1200 mg/m2 Cyclophosphamide at least 600 mg/m2