With the rapid growth of the number of oral cancer therapies in use the potential for misadventure is also increasing.
Many cancer therapies are prone to drug-drug and drug-food interactions that can affect the patient’s treatment. Interactions can cause a loss of effect compromising a patient’s response or increase drug exposure putting the patient at risk of increased toxicity.
Interpreting the risk of interactions is becoming more complex as the requirement to treat a patient’s cancer as well as ensure co-morbidities are also treated, a delicate balancing act and the ability to identify the clinical significance of a potential interaction are paramount in maximising therapy.
Intertwined with interactions are the unusual side effect profiles often seen with targeted therapy and the ongoing need to identify effects that may cause issues or concerns with treatment and balance efficacy, adverse events and ensuring ongoing compliance.
This talk will focus on these issues and how they can impact on patient treatment.