title: Adherence and patients' attitudes to oral anticancer drugs: a prospective series of 201 patients focusing on targeted therapies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patient adherence is a challenge in oncology and hematology practice. Hormone therapy data in breast cancer suggest insufficient adherence and poor persistence. Limited data are available for targeted therapies (TT) including tyrosine kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective survey using a 15-item questionnaire in patients with solid tumors and hematologic malignancies receiving oral anticancer therapy. Treatment duration, setting (adjuvant vs. metastatic), cancer type, age, and comedication were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  201 patients (median age 65.5 years) participated, 102 with TT and 99 with hormone therapy or chemotherapy (HC). The median time of drug intake was 11.0 months. Written information was more frequently given to TT patients (68.6 vs. 23.2%, p < 0.0001). TT and HC patients showed equal adherence to therapy (72.5 vs. 69.6%, p = n.s.) despite TT patients experiencing more side effects (p < 0.0001) and taking more concomitant oral medication (p = 0.0042). Forgotten doses were the leading cause of nonadherence in HC patients (83%, as compared to 54% in the TT group), whereas dose reduction by the patient was higher in the TT group (32 vs. 17%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite advances in providing information to patients leading to better adherence among TT patients, efforts towards better patient education are warranted including dedicated staff for monitoring outpatient anticancer oral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Pôle d'Oncologie et d'Hématologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barthélémy
authors.forename: Irène
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Asmane-De la Porte
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duclos
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Louis-Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dourthe
authors.forename: Shanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amé
authors.forename: Valère
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Litique
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giron
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Goldbarg
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fornecker
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quoix
authors.forename: Jean-Emmanuel
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kurtz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001290:Attitude; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents