title: Study on adherence to capecitabine among patients with colorectal cancer and metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Capecitabine, an oral drug, is as effective as traditional chemotherapy drugs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the adhesion to treatment with oral capecitabine in breast and colorectal cancer, and to determine any correlation with changes in patient's quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with colorectal cancer or breast cancer using capecitabine were included. The patients were asked to bring any medication left at the time of scheduled visits. The QLQ-C30 questionnaire was applied at the first visit and 8-12 weeks after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty patients were evaluated. Adherence was 88.3% for metastatic colon cancer, 90.4% for non-metastatic colon cancer, 94.3% for rectal cancer and 96.2% for metastatic breast cancer. No strong correlation between adherence and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 functional or symptom scale rates had been found. There was no statistically significant correlation between compliance and the functional and symptom scales of the questionnaire before and after chemotherapy, with the exception of dyspnea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although no absolute adherence to oral capecitabine treatment had been observed, the level of adherence was good. Health professionals therefore need a greater focus in the monitoring the involvement of patients with oral treatment regimens. Patients with lesser degrees of dyspnea had greater compliance.
authors.affiliation: Setor de Oncologia, Disciplina de Gastroenterologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Adiel Goes de
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Figueiredo Junior
authors.affiliation: Setor de Oncologia, Disciplina de Gastroenterologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nora Manoukian
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Forones
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil