SUPPORTING cancer PATIENTS

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ORAL ANTICANCER MEDICINES

Cancer treatments are increasingly being administered orally resulting in an increase in the number of patients receiving treatment in the community.

While patients prefer the oral route of administration, the self-administration of oral cancer therapies introduces additional risks of error and also the risk of non-adherence.

MANAGING SYMPTOMS & SIDE EFFECTS

Oral anticancer medicines have the same potential for risk as intravenous anticancer medicines both in terms of treatment related toxicities and potential for serious medication errors. Treatment with oral cancer therapies may continue for weeks at a time without direct professional supervision and therefore medication, dose or scheduling errors are less likely to be detected.

Key points:

  • Oral anticancer therapy carries the same risks in terms of potential for error and toxicities as cancer therapies administered by other routes e.g. life-threatening side effects, such as neutropenic sepsis and diarrhoea.

  • Oral cancer therapies dosing schedules are often complex to understand and fatal outcomes have been associated with patient misinterpretation of dosage instructions.

  • Many of the targeted anticancer therapies act in novel ways, each with unique side-effect profiles some of which can be severe and require continual monitoring.

  • Recognition and recording of toxicities/complications is vital in the ongoing management of the patient.

For further information and factsheets see eviQ - Cancer Treatments online 

PATIENT EDUCATION

Communicating with patients using both verbal and written information is crucial to support the safe and effective use of oral anticancer therapy. All patients and/or carers must be educated on how to take their medication to ensure they receive optimal benefit and to minimise administration errors.

Patient education and counselling is vital to ensure patients understand:

  • how to recognise the possible side effects of the medication

  • how to prevent these side effects at home and;

  • when to contact their treating team or attend hospital.

As an experienced cancer pharmacist, I can play an important role in patient education and can check patients understanding of the advice given to them by their oncologist. By clarifying information and providing further explanation if needed, I can help decrease the risks associated with their anticancer treatment.

I can also help support and educate those primary care professionals e.g. practice nurses, who already have expertise in chronic condition management to play a key role in the follow-up of patients after a cancer diagnosis, particularly in assessment and self-management support.