Pharmaceutical care for patients with breast and ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Individualized patient care may help reduce the incidence of adverse drug events in systemic cancer therapy. This study was conducted to explore the feasibility and potential of additional pharmaceutical care for breast and ovarian cancer patients.


METHODS
The study was designed as a prospective, multicentered cohort study with a control group. Ninety-eight breast or ovarian cancer patients were recruited from outpatient oncology clinics and primary care oncologists: initially into the control group receiving standard care and after implementation of pharmaceutical care into the intervention group consisting of additional patient counseling on the management of treatment-associated adverse events and optimization of supportive medication. Primary outcome was the complete response to the antiemetic prophylaxis. Secondary endpoints were the severity of nausea, frequency of emesis, health-related quality of life, and patient satisfaction with information on cancer treatment education.


RESULTS
Forty-eight patients were included in the control group and 50 in the intervention group. Of the patients, 35.4% in the control group and 76.0% in the intervention group (p < 0.001) had a complete response to the antiemetic prophylaxis. The severity of acute and delayed nausea was not reduced. The global health scale and two symptom scales (nausea and vomiting, appetite loss) of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire were positively affected by pharmaceutical care. Patient satisfaction with information was significantly higher in the intervention group.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with breast and ovarian cancer seem to benefit from pharmaceutical care, as suggested by improved patient-reported outcomes such as emetic episodes, quality of life, and patient satisfaction after implementation.
Institute of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
Andrea
A
Liekweg
Martina
M
Westfeld
Michael
M
Braun
Oliver
O
Zivanovic
Tania
T
Schink
Walther
W
Kuhn
Ulrich
U
Jaehde
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents