Study: Benefits of Some Cancer Drugs Mitigated by Other Drugs

Many cancer patients taking oncology drugs might see the beneficial effects of their medication fail to materialize if they are taking other medications, says a new study by Medco Health Solutions Inc.

The Medco study found between 23% and 57% of patients taking cancer drugs for a specific cancer were also taking medications that could alter the effects of the drug, including decreased effectiveness and increased toxicity.

"For Gleevec, 43% of the 4,617 cancer patients taking the therapy got medicines that may reduce its effectiveness, while 68% received drugs that might increase toxicity, reports Bloomberg.

The report highlights the importance of having primary care doctors and cancer specialists coordinate treatments with one another. "[T]he vast majority of the cancer drugs were prescribed by an oncologist, while the other medicines were typically prescribed by a primary care physician," said Reuters.

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Bloomberg - Cancer Drug Benefits May Be Eroded by Other Medications