Interaction between different pills
Nearly half of cancer patients take drugs that may be detrimental to their treatment. Expert Roelof van Leeuwen explains how you can prevent this.
Roelof van Leeuwen, hospital pharmacist at Erasmus MC Rotterdam: “Many cancer patients use other medicines in addition to the medication prescribed by the oncologist. That can be risky, because those medicines can interaction have with cancer treatment. For example, certain antidepressants can cause the hormonal treatment of breast cancer poorly or not at all. And antacids not only inhibit acid in the stomach, but can also affect the absorption of certain drugs into the blood. That could mean that a chemotherapy is recorded worse and in the worst case is even switched off completely. The other way around is also possible: the effect of a cancer medicine can be enhanced by another medicine in such a way that serious side effects can occur.
Even remedies that many people think are harmless can be harmful to the treatment: for example, a cream can prevent athlete’s foot slow down the breakdown of cancer drugs, which can make you more prone to side effects.”
Don’t oncologists check that before you start a treatment?
“Every oncologist asks his patients which medicines they use. Patients often do not know exactly, which makes it difficult to get a complete overview. Another factor is that the control system in many hospitals is not yet watertight. If a patient of the If a urologist and cardiologist is prescribed an undesirable combination, an alarm bell goes off in the hospital pharmacy immediately. But cancer medicines are often not yet included in the central registration system of hospitals. Proper monitoring of incorrect combinations is then very difficult.”
Are all cancer patients who take dangerous combinations at risk?
“The risk of side effects is different for every patient. Some patients do not suffer from anything despite a risky combination, while others can experience many or serious side effects. By adjusting the dose of the medicine or switching to another medicine, this is often to prevent.”
What can you do yourself to prevent things from going wrong?
“Ask your pharmacy for an up-to-date medication overview and take it with you to the oncologist. Also indicate which herbal remedies, nutritional supplements and other alternative means you use. Do the same if you think your oncologist rejects the use of those drugs: it’s for your own safety.”
Sources):
- Plus Magazine
