An onco-informatics database for anticancer drug interactions with complementary and alternative medicines used in cancer treatment and supportive care: an overview of the OncoRx project.
OBJECTIVE
Cancer patients are at high risk of manifesting interactions from use of anticancer drugs (ACDs) and complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). These interactions can result in sub-therapeutic effects or increased toxicities which may compromise the outcome of chemotherapy. It is important for practitioners to gain convenient access to ACD-CAM interaction information so as to make better-informed decisions in daily practice. This paper describes the creation of an oncology database (OncoRx) that documents ACD-CAM interactions, including traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) that are commonly used for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive care therapy.


METHODS
Information regarding ACDs, CAMs, and drug interactions were collated from 14 sources, inclusive of hardcopy and online resources, and input into a modified web server with a database engine and a programming interface using a combination of software and programming scripts.


RESULTS
OncoRx currently contains a total of 117 ACDs and 166 CAMs. Users are able to search for interactions based on various CAM uses: cancer treatment or prevention, immune-system-related, alopecia, nausea, and vomiting, peripheral neuropathy and pain, inflammation, fatigue, and non-cancer related. Pharmacokinetic data on ACDs and CAMs, characteristics of CAMs based on TCM principles, and drug interaction parameters such as effects, mechanisms, evidences, and proposed management plans, are shown in the search results.


CONCLUSIONS
OncoRx is an oncology database which detects ACD interactions. It is currently able to detect interactions with CAMs. It is hoped that OncoRx will serve as a useful resource to clinicians, educators, trainers, and students working in the oncology setting.
Yap
Kevin Yi-Lwern
KY
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Kuo
En Yi
EY
Lee
Jonathan Jun Jie
JJ
Chui
Wai Keung
WK
Chan
Alexandre
A
D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000145:classification; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003626:Data Display; D016208:Databases, Factual; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D041743:Herb-Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020407:Internet; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010166:Palliative Care; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000145:classification; D012944:Social Support; D014584:User-Computer Interface
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents