Minimising treatment-associated risks in systemic cancer therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To review the consequences of drug-related problems (DRP) in systemic cancer therapy and identify specific contributions of the pharmacist to minimise treatment-associated risks.


METHODS
Searches in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were conducted. Bibliographies of retrieved articles were examined for additional references. Only papers in English between 1980 and 2007 were included.


RESULTS
In systemic cancer therapy there is an enormous potential for DRP due to the high toxicity and the complexity of most therapeutic regimens. The most frequently reported DRP can be classified into adverse effects, drug-drug interactions, medication errors, and non-adherence. Pharmacists have enhanced efforts to assure quality and safety in systemic cancer therapy together with other health care providers. In consequence, oncology pharmacy has evolved as a novel specialist discipline. The endeavour to merge and co-ordinate individual activities and services of the pharmacist has led to pharmaceutical care concepts which aim at offering novel solutions to the various DRP.


CONCLUSIONS
Pharmaceutical care for cancer patients should be developed within research projects and integrated into disease management programs in order to ensure broad implementation.
Jaehde
Ulrich
U
Institute of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Bonn, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitaet Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121 Bonn, Germany. u.jaehde@uni-bonn.de
Liekweg
Andrea
A
Simons
Sven
S
Westfeld
Martina
M
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D016312:Treatment Refusal