Relationship between the Experience of Obtaining Information about the Side Effects of Anticancer Drugs and Self-regulation of Medication in Cancer Patients

Abstract

The number of cancer patients who demand information on the side effects of anticancer drugs is increasing. It is, however, unclear where cancer patients receive or obtain the information and how it affects the self-regulation of medication. This study investigated how patients obtain side effect information, and identified the relationship between the experience of receiving information and the self-regulation of medication. A questionnaire survey of cancer patients was conducted on the website. The number of valid responses was 488. Ninety-four (27.8％) of the 338 respondents, who had any experience of obtaining information about side effects of anticancer drug from sources other than medical institutions, considered self-regulation of medication, and 58 (61.7％) of those actually reduced the dosage or stopped taking the medication. “Obtaining an explanation of the side effects of anticancer drugs from a pharmacist at a medical institution before the start of cancer chemotherapy” suppressed planning self-regulation of medication, while “using the inquiry window of pharmaceutical companies as an information source for side effects” promoted it. In order for cancer patients to continue outpatient chemotherapy, pharmaceutical companies should carefully consider that the response to patients who use the inquiry window may affect the adherence of patients, and should respond by encouraging confirmation at medical institutions. Furthermore, it is important for medical institutions to promote the concept that pharmacists should explain the side effects of anticancer drugs to the patients before the start of chemotherapy.