Drug therapy problems prevalent in ovarian cancer patients

Patients with ovarian cancer are no strangers to several drug therapy problems (DTPs), particularly adverse drug reactions, suggests a study.

“Despite several studies in various cancers reporting a high prevalence of DTPs, there is a notable scarcity of comprehensive data addressing DTPs among patients with an ovarian cancer diagnosis,” the investigators said.

A hundred eligible patients (mean age 51.2 years) with ovarian cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya, were included in this retrospective cohort study that explored the prevalence of DTPs. The investigators obtained data on DTPs from patients using a data abstraction tool and presented their findings using frequency tables, percentages, and figures.

The most common histological type of ovarian cancer was epithelial (79.0 percent), followed by sex cord-stromal (13 percent) and germ cell (8 percent).

Overall, 175 DTPs were recorded. The most prevalent DTP was adverse drug reactions (40.6 percent), followed by drug nonadherence (17.1 percent). Notably, the number of medications used and the stage of ovarian cancer significantly predicted DTP.

“The number of medications used and the stage of ovarian cancer were statistically significant predictors of DTP,” the investigators said. “Hence, regular medication reviews and robust pharmacovigilance systems should be implemented to detect and manage DTPs effectively.”