Adherence to oral therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (impacting BCR-ABL) may impact outcomes.
Patient selection: oral therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Factors favoring adherence:
(1) age > 65 years
(2) one or more comorbid condition (may reflect need to take other medications)
(3) meticulous pretreatment education
Factors associated with non-adherence:
(1) increasing time since diagnosis
(2) forgetfulness
(3) distraction
(4) travel
(5) concurrent infection that made oral therapy difficult
(6) no prescription
(7) worry over side effects
(8) young and single
The occurrence of side effects did not impact adherence but could trigger a reduction in dose, switch in TKI or discontinuation of therapy.
Side effects of TKI include:
(1) nausea
(2) diarrhea
(3) fatigue
(4) hypertension
(5) stomatitis
(6) nasal bleeding
(7) heart failure
(8) rhabdomyolysis
(9) renal failure
(10) neutropenia
(11) QT prolongation
