In recent years, many drugs with characteristic side effects, such as molecular target drugs, are used in cancer chemotherapy. Continuous side effect monitoring and management are required not only during hospitalization, but also in outpatient treatments. Therefore, pharmacists at our hospital conduct interviews with hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving lenvatinib (LEN) before they are examined by a doctor. In the present study, to evaluate the effectiveness of outpatient pharmacist interventions, the treatment continuation rate within 6 months of the initiation of LEN administration was compared between an intervention group (n = 45) and non-intervention group (n = 47). The treatment continuation rate (event: adverse events or progressive disease (PD)) was higher in the intervention group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the discontinuation rate due to PD, whereas that due to adverse events was lower in the intervention group. Within 2 months of treatment initiation, the discontinuation rate due to adverse events was 21.4% in the non-intervention group, but 0% in the intervention group. No significant differences were noted in the incidence of adverse events during the observation period, the initial dose of LEN, relative dose intensity, or hepatic reserve. Furthermore, the acceptance rate of proposals by pharmacists to doctors was 87.5%, with the highest rate for supportive care proposals. These results suggest that interventions by pharmacists contributed to an increase in the treatment continuation rate. Moreover, interventions were considered to be useful for preventing early discontinuation due to adverse events.
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