Olanzapine for the Treatment of Chronic Nausea and/or Vomiting in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Age \>= 18 years * Histologically or cytologically-confirmed cancer in an advanced incurable stage * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0, 1 or 2 * Chronic nausea that has been present for at least one week (daily score \> 5, on a 0-10 visual analogue scale) * Serum creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dl =\< 120 days prior to registration * Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (aspartate aminotransferase \[AST\]) or serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) (alanine aminotransferase \[ALT\]) values \< 3 times upper limits of normal =\< 120 days prior to registration * Negative pregnancy test done =\< 14 days prior to registration, for persons of childbearing potential only * Able to provide written informed consent * Able to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance Exclusion Criteria: * Any of the following because this study involves: an agent that has known genotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects: * Pregnant persons * Nursing persons * Received chemotherapy or radiation within the prior 14 days (advanced cancer patients receiving hormonal therapy or targeted therapy that does not come with a recommendation for prophylactic anti-emetic therapy are eligible) * Receiving treatment with another antipsychotic agent such as risperidone, quetiapine, clozapine, phenothiazine or butyrophenone for =\< 30 days prior to registration or planned during protocol therapy (patients may have received prochlorperazine and other phenothiazines as prior anti-emetic therapy) * Those with concurrent use of ethyol; severe cognitive compromise; concurrent use of amifostine; concurrent use of quinolone antibiotic therapy; known hypersensitivity to olanzapine; or have planned chemotherapy or radiation during the 7 days following study initiation * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to: * Ongoing or active infection (including human immunodeficiency virus \[HIV\]) * Cardiac disease which, in the opinion of the treating physician, would make this protocol unreasonably hazardous for the patient * Psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements * Inability to swallow oral formulations of the agent(s) * Tube feeding or nasogastric tube