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 generic imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Keeping a steady routine matters as much as the tablet.

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, follow your leaflet and never take two at once. Weekly methotrexate is the exception: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

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

Common side effects: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Aromatase inhibitors can reduce bone density, so many people have bone scans and advice on calcium and vitamin D. Report chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding straight away.

Order ahead. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never causes a gap. Generic versions 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.

More detail is available in this article.

This is general information, not medical advice. Always check with your oncology team before making any change.

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