Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

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A growing number of cancer treatments are now taken by mouth at home. Tamoxifen, letrozole and anastrozole are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. That makes routine and supply just as important as the medicine itself.

Make it a habit: take your tablet at the same time each day, keep a pill organiser, and set an alarm. If you miss a dose, check the patient leaflet and never take two at once. Methotrexate is different: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

To read more about day-to-day life on treatment, this practical guide covers routines, side effects and questions for your oncologist.

What you may notice: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Aromatase inhibitors can thin the bones, so many people have bone scans and regular check-ups. Report chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding promptly.

Never run out. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never causes a gap. Generic tablets contain the same active ingredient as the brands and usually cost far less. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

You can read more here.

This article is for general information only. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting check here any medicine.

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