Suggested Guideline for Patients under Oral Chemotherapy

Abstract

Oral chemotherapy has gained popularity with patients over the last decade as an effective, convenient approach to treatment of certain cancers, less invasive compared with intravenous route and less stressful as it reduces the visits to clinics or physicians, also transfers monitoring responsibility to patients as patient can take it at home. As a result, some of the responsibility for safe medication administration of chemotherapy has shifted from the oncology professionals to the patient or non-oncology caregivers. In addition to the potential problems related to medication errors and adherence to therapy. some oral chemotherapy agents involve frequent and significant toxicities, and undesirable adverse effects which require patient self care as soon as possible, so patients need assistance in understanding how to identify, manage, report side effects and must be educated to help ensure that the oral agents are being stored, handled, and taken correctly.