Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

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Several common cancer medicines are now daily tablets. Letrozole, anastrozole and tamoxifen are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. That makes routine and supply just as important as the medicine itself.

Build a simple routine: take your tablet at the same time each day, use a weekly pill box, and set an alarm. If you miss a dose, check the patient leaflet and never take two at once. Methotrexate is different: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

To read more about day-to-day life on treatment, this article explains what to expect in the first months.

Common side effects: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Aromatase inhibitors can reduce bone density, anastrozole vs letrozole so many people have bone scans and advice on calcium and vitamin D. Report chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding promptly.

Order ahead. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never causes a gap. Generic tablets contain the same active ingredient as the brands and can make long-term treatment more affordable. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

There is more information here.

This article is for general information only. Always check with your oncology team before making any change.

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