Oral anticancer medicines in acute oncology; recognition by non-specialist clinicians and risk reduction measures

Objective

This study investigated the awareness of non-oncology specialist medical staff about commonly used oral anticancer medicines (OAMs).

Methods

Interviews conducted with a range of non-oncology specialist doctors.

Results

The recognition of OAMs was poor by all grades of doctors, with capecitabine being the only drug recognised by more than half the doctors (26 of 40; 65%). Consultant medical staff scored significantly better than most junior grades of staff.

Conclusions

A barrier to safe patient care appears to be the initial identification of OAMs on acute admission. Once a drug had been identified as an OAM, doctors are aware that they should not prescribe it and should contact the acute oncology service for advice. A range of measures has been introduced to improve the identification of OAMs by doctors.

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